The Beta Experiment
by Vexxlyn
Summary: The Young Justice was considered a success, The Justice League itself was a success. Now it's time Bruce put together a new experiment. This new team would be considered riskier than any before it's time. An archer, a dragon, a devil and a estranged amazonian all hope to prove their worth so that one day, they may join the Justice League. (Warning:Will get dark)
1. Ash and Hellfire

A guillotine's cry and the smell of ash and hellish fire soaked through the Hall of Justice.

"These are our new recruits?" Clark inquires skeptically as two figures fight.

"They've been at it for an hour and a half. Neither gaining ground and neither losing an inch. And they don't even seem tired." Bruce groans, observing the fight below the observation deck.

A man and a woman fought. The man fighting with pure brutish strength. Battling forward with an icy sword like a spartan and shielding himself from damage with the shield in his left hand. Each strike sent icy shards flying back like powdered snow and the damage to the weapons repairing themselves. He was rather simply dressed, black hoodie with a white spray painted skull adorned with horns on the back. One leather glove to better hold his shield and a pair of boots that dug into the icy floor he created to withstand heavy hits without movement. His hair, although damp with sweat and water vapor, was blonde and messy. The man's eyes sparkled like the clearest water, yet reflected pure wrath and vengeance.

"That Diana's boy?" Clarke asked, slightly astonished to see blonde hair come from the dark haired amazon.  
"Yes. Will Prince. The 'Demon Slayer' of metropolis." The batman settles his elbows down on the counter.

"Yikes. How did he get a name like th-" Bruce's response was simply sliding over a file. The contents of it made Superman himself cringe. "Jesus Bruce."  
"He needs help. If we don't fix him the son of Wonder Woman will become a murderous monster."

Clark shakes his head, shoving out that imagery. "We aren't a psych ward Bruce, If he needs help send him to a professional."

The sound of echoing blades grew shrill as a scythe slices down into the ice of Will's shield. The elegant movements of the ghostly woman were cold, precise and quick. Will having to block more than attack to avoid the merciless lashing of the dual scythes. One always poised to attack the other guarding her body. Her hair rolled as if it were smoke toward the ends and skin flared to life with black markings against ivory skin. An elegant pair of horns poised on her head and claws gracing each delicate finger. Her eyes were shielded by a thick piece of black cloth, blocking her gaze with seemingly no consequence as she continued forward. Her scythe's blades dancing and sweeping in carefully swift strokes. Every so often her two scythes would melt into on for heavier strikes, but she only did this when the seemed to interpret an opening for attack in which the heavy blade separates into shadows and back to two.

"And the woman?" Clark asks, almost afraid to know.  
"'Rai, The Devil Horseman. Won't say much, but she's helpful." Batman looks back seeing pure skepticism in the Man of Steel's posture.

"So we have a 'Devil' and a 'Demon Slayer'. Bruce, we're the Justice League, if he's capable of THAT he can't be good 'hero' material. What's your plan?"

Bruce was quiet. "I have my doubts, but you've never let me down before. Do what you must." Clarke shakes his head, moving to leave as the bat gets up and hits the PA system.

"That's enough. You two are done for the day. Go home, rest and be back tomorrow." His voice gruffs as the two fighters stop for the day.


	2. Forever Restless

"Can't believe that old goat's making us live together, for FUCKS sake!" Will groans as he slams down onto the couch in the rather cramped apartment. God batman irritated the fuck out of Will sometimes. Rai on the other hand was quiet, examining the walls and taking in all the new things. She could smell fresh paint, like the place had been recently fixed up.

"Hello… Wednesday Adams? See if there's a beer in the fridge." Will groans, closing his eyes. Although the reference went completely over her head. Had Rai known what he meant, she'd likely be appalled.

She was glamoured, to look human. Blonde ringlets cascading over her ivory shoulders. Horns hidden, eyes fixed to a bright bronze, at first glance she looked normal. Although watching the way she moved was a give away. She had no bounce or natural sway to her gait. Moving much like a ghost, never a falter or even a stray breath. This form seemed so familiar yet foreign. It was all she could bring herself to display herself as. Her eyes meet the irritated man's for a split second. "Calm down. Stressing does nothing. If anyone should be stressed it should be me. Demon Slayer?" Rai asks, sitting on the coffee table next to the couch. She supposed she may as well attempt to be friendly.

"Ugh. Crucify a few rotten murderers and that's what they'll call you." Will groans, sitting upright, eyes finally scanning over his equally reluctant roommate. "So how about you. Demon?"

"Devil actually."  
"The difference?"  
"Demons are a dime a dozen. Rarely intelligent. Even more rarely sentient. Devils however are a class of demon. Each with names, personalities and intellect far superior to the common demon." Rai explains, seeming to gaze to the floor.

"How on earth does a demon become a devil?"  
"How does a half-amazonian get ice magic?" Rai diverts, much to Will's surprise and dismay.

"Human genetics meld with Amazonian genetics strangely. I didn't get a lot of her abilities, but I did get a random perk I guess." Will shrugs. "Although I do wonder why you hide behind that disguise? I've seen what you look like." The blonde boy asks as the devil stands and begins moving into one of the bedrooms. His question being completely ignored.

The demon was currently occupied with a wooden music box playing the tune of Swan Lake, her eyes fixed upon it as it brought some faint memories back from the dead. She could remember the strain of staying up on pointe, leaping graciously and landing easily. She also faintly remembered children doing their best to copy her. Why children? This memory was immediately followed by the smell of smoke and burning skin.

"Rai… Rai." Will called as the devil went silent, beginning to sit up in concern as she snapped out of it. "You alive? Erm… dead?"

"Yeah- I'm fine. Um. Get some sleep. Long day tomorrow and you need rest." Rai stands.  
"Don't ya mean, we?"Will ponders as he gets up, looking across the hallway to his roommate.

"Demons don't sleep. We're forever restless. Part of the whole 'burn in hell thing.' we don't even have to be burning or in hell for the constant mild annoyance of exhaustion." Rai groans, flopping back on the bed, blonde ringlets falling perfectly around her head in a golden halo.

This struck Will as horrible yet cool at the same time. Not needing sleep was useful, yet he imagined constantly longing for rest would be miserable. "So… Is that the only side effect you have?" He asks leaning against a door frame.

"I wish" Rai laughs. "We constantly feel the desire for all seven deadly sins. Lust, sloth, envy. Although not conventionally and some species more than others. I'm more predispositioned to have wrathful tendencies. The constant urge to tear someone apart is always at the back of my mind. The capability to do it is there too." Rai blinks, gazing at her own hand, imagining what would actually happen if she were to kill some innocent human. To see their souls struggling against her, helpless to escape and only to be swallowed whole and deconstructed into what made them human. "Only thing stopping me is myself."

Only after a small awkward silence could Will actually reply. "Well. At least you haven't actually done it."

"You're wrathful too. I can see it all over you. But you don't mean to be. You weren't even born that way." She turns to stare Will down. Eyes seeming to bore right through him. "Someone made you this way. What did they do to you?"

Will bites his lip and shakes his head. Slinking back for a moment. "I think I need to go to bed." He thinks aloud, roaming down the hallway to his bedroom, leaving Rai continuing to stare where he just was. Having seen that flicker of pain in his soul that he tried so desperately to hide.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Bruce, come on. What's your plan? Those kids are dangerous. One's a monster and the other one is a demon. We can-"

"My plan is a fast acting team we can send on missions we don't want association with or don't have time for, or can't waste league members on." Bruce interrupts, typing at his desk.

Superman huffs, settling into an office chair. "So they're scapegoats. That makes me feel much better."

"Not scapegoats. It's a probationary period to let them work off their issues. Then they'll be admitted." Bruce pulls up some more files and turns the screen around. "We can't have a team of two people though. So I've collected a few more." The bat pushed the mouse to Clark for him to scroll through the profiles. "Those two will just be spearheading the operation."

"This is insane. Some of these kids kill people. Hell one of them's a fire breathing half-beast. This better work, or we're in deep-"  
"It will. Trust me." Bruce drones as he lets down his cowl.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day started with Will groaning in the bathroom mirror trying to get his hair to behave and then smogging up the bathroom with a fog of hairspray. Once he got it right where he wanted it he glances up to see himself in the mirror, then turns to immediately find his roommate right there, where as she didn't show up in the reflection. The half-breed jumps before remembering the whole 'living with a demon' thing. "The fuck, Rai!?" He half-shouted catching his lost breath.

"Sorry. I was trying to find that horrible smell." She was holding her hand over her nose. "Guess it's just that spray."

"Hey, bitch. We can't all have that whole anti-gravity smoke hair." Will sasses as he looks down to his phone, realizing there was absolutely no service and the device was going berserk. "Oh come on, phone."

"Oh,Sorry." Rai immediately apologizes and steps back a good three feet which immediately restores the device.

Will blinks, turning his phone over and experimentally checking SnapChat. "Wh-how?"

"Strong demons distort devices. Very few electrical devices can withstand it." She kept a good distance as Will kept checking his phone to ensure it was alright.

"Noted. Freaky, but, noted." He states walking past her for the front door, grabbing a pop-tart on the way. "Bats wanted us at mount justice in half an hour. Some kind of important mumbo jumbo. Probably some shit about cackling clowns and obese men pretending to be flamingos."

"You mean penguins?"  
"Exactly"  
Will smirks as he opens the door, pressing a button on his keys to unlock the beat up red truck in the driveway. "You coming?" He asks as he holds the door open for Rai, who immediately stalls at the idea of getting into a car.

Thoughts of flames and the horrid smell of gas fills her mind. "No. I'll meet you there. I don't really do cars." And with that Will was off, left to think as the demon faded from his rear view mirror.


	3. The Dragon and The Archer

Mount Justice was crawling with new faces. Two particularly, a blonde and a brunette. And of course Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman waiting on the last two team members. Diana began to grow visibly irritated as her own son seemed to be off with 'that demon girl'. However, the zeta tube did eventually sound off and in waltzed Will Prince… With a open bottle of moscato. The amazonian pinched the bridge of her nose trying to keep her temper.

Following behind was Rai. Human disguise still up, but she seemed more respectful of her surroundings. She heard a voice that seemed somewhat familiar. Seemed the Green Arrow was here with someone who seemed miraculously like him.

"Dammit dad, I'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?" Said the mysterious new person.

"Jason, I can't even explain the worst that could happen. Just… please. I-" The emerald archer was interrupted by superman's booming voice.

"Well seems everyone's here." Superman calls for everyone's attention as Will unapologetically began drinking straight from the bottle. Diana was about to say something but she was met with a particularly rude gesture whilst Will kept drinking. Rai simply listened, not quite noticing the blonde boy the archer had called 'Jason' creeping closer to the group and hence, away from his protective father.

"All of you are here as a 'test run' before admittance into The Justice League. You all have potential, but this is a test of readiness. You'll all live either here or in the residence assigned to you, You'll report here each day and will receive missions from either myself, Wonder Woman or Batman here. Anyone have any questions?" Clark paused. And upon silence he resumed. "Alright. We'll give missions as we get them. Until then meet your teammates."

Superman's eyes dart to the archer as he was currently trying to convince his son to think twice about crime fighting. But, that look screamed it was time to go. And with the justice leaguers gone the strangers were left to get to know each other. Meanwhile Will was already partially drunk.

"Hey, If you're going to have wine, At least share bud. Long time, so see." Jason smirks to his old friend.

Jason was an odd looking fellow. Almost spitting image of his father, minus the facial hair. He was tall, dirty blonde and well built, although on the thinner side with long hair pulled back and out of the way. He currently was wearing what he wore when 'out at night in star city' which was a suit resembling his father's except black with gold accents on the hood. Each of his arrows were tipped in golden feathers. A tattoo creeping up the side of his neck, although what exactly it was is was unable to be deciphered. Seemed to be a piece of something larger. Emerald eyes sparkling through a mask as he continued to poke fun at the irritable amazonian.

"So… I guess introducing ourselves is how we're supposed to start this?" Rai interrupts as she notices Will about to snap at Jason.

"Jason Queen, Here to prove that once again, rich is a valid superpower." The blonde archer smirked, winking at Rai who seemed not to notice at all.

There was an awkward silence for a good three seconds before the brunette man finally spoke up to break the tension. "Well. I'm Deimos."

Deimos was probably one of the more striking individuals of the group. The tallest among them, deep chestnut hair and reptilian blue eyes. Although that's not what made him stand out. Folded tightly against his back was a pair of dark wings and he was dressed rather warmly for spring, double lapelled, fleece lined coat pulled tightly around him.

"Smaug, is that you?" Jason blinks. "Ha,ha. Very funny. I'm only half dragon." Deimos smirks, having caught the reference.  
"Lemme guess? You're our tank. Big scary crushing dragon?" The bowman asks, playing with his arrows.  
"Erm, actually no. Some above average strength. I'm more a of a 'warlock'. Got mom's magic and wings, not her strength." Deimos laments, somewhat jealous he didn't inherit more cool abilities, but he did show off some of his illusionary magic with a flick of his fingers and a poof of sparkling dust, right into Rai's face, making her shoo it away.

Will decided to kick back with his wine, finding a couch and the remote.

"Hey Wonderboy, you gonn-"  
"Two things you need to know bitches. I hate you all, and if anyone ever calls me 'wonderboy.' I'll jam my boot so far up their ass they'll be licking it.." Will growls ominously at Jason before he could even finish that thought.

Everyone in the room decided it would be a better idea to just leave him be. Deimos was about to say something to the one person who hadn't said anything the whole time when a huge monitor sprang to life and immediately cut to static. Of course the demon took it upon herself to take a step back which made all the issues with technology clear up to show the Batman himself on the screen.

"We just had a mission come in that'd be perfect for your first time as a team. Reports of missing children in the forests near Jump City's outskirts. Find the source and eliminate it. Zeta's programed to take you directly to it." The monitor then cuts out.

"Well… no one says goodbye anymore." Will yawns, standing.

"You good for this? You've drank an awful lot." Deimos asks, legitimately concerned. "Perhaps you should stay and take it easy."  
"I'm always down to fuck shit up." The bluzzed amazonian groans stepping toward the zeta.

"You go on ahead. I'll catch up." Rai chimes in, about to head out the door instead.  
"She talks!" Jason gasps, noting on the fact the blonde girl had only said three or four words at all.  
"I do. Just go on. I'll meet you."


	4. Kill the Beast!

Jason takes the liberty to kick the door off the phone booth in which the zeta tube resides, stretching much of a rush it was to kick down the door. Why be peaceful when you could really make an entrance.

"Phone booth? Really superman? How original." He groans as he begins walking on without the other four men.

"Slow down. We aren't too far away so we should probably be- Will!" Deimos blinks as Will had already scaled a building and was looking off into the treeline to try and find a good place to start. The half-dragon was immediately irritated, they were supposed to work together and they were already off to a sluggish start.

"And where's that hot blonde? I was still workin' on the moves~" The archer smirks, heading off into the woods with a dramatic skip in his step.

"She'll come. She doesn't really like closed in spaces." Will hops down deciding to stay with the group.

"And you are her…."

"Roommate. Believe me. I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole." Will laughs.

Meanwhile Deimos began feeling the slight chill, pulling his jacket around him. He felt slightly sluggish, as if moving began taking more and more energy to manage. It wasn't terrible, just enough for him to notice it. He reaches into his pocket to retrieve one of the hand warmers he carried with him, shaking the package to attempt to keep warm.

"Sick or something godzilla?" Will asks, curious about the fact he wore a thin long sleeve and was fine, this guy looked like he was ready for a russian winter and was still cold, although he didn't shiver.

"Shut up. I'm cold blooded. Can't keep body heat myself so unless we're in a desert, I get kind of slow." Deimos admits, working to keep up and pulling his hood over his head.

"Good to know. Our warlock is useless in the snow." Jason groans, working to climb a tree and get a look at where they were going.

"Not totally useless. Look at this." Deimos leans down to pick up a piece of slick cloth. Some sort of nylon fabric torn from something. "Probably from a kid's jacket. I don't know many adults who would wear neon yellow."

"Oh. Looks like he pushed his way through here." Jason mentions, seeing the grass laid over in a faint trail completely off the beaten path. Although he tilts his head as he notices another trail intervening… then the two seem to be walking together side by side. "Whatever happened he wasn't alone that's for sure. and didn't seem to fight. He went willingly."

Will decided to take a walk in the path the missing child would have taken, deciding to crouch every few feet to see what he would have seen. "Bats said 'children'... as in multiple? " Will asks for confirmation, only getting a nod from their dragon. "Is it safe to say they all went to the same place or are they just being kids and wandering off?"

"Depends on whatever met his path. The footsteps are slightly wider but the foot itself isn't too big. Gotta be either another child or a small woman." Jason, sighs as he hops down, placing his foot next to one of the tracks, finding it much smaller. "They're pretty fresh. Following it might be worthwhile." The archer adds, only finding Will was a full step ahead of him.

"Oh come on guys. We're a team. Can't just go gallivanting off into the woods lik- Ah!" Deimos jumps as the wood just on the other side of his head splinters with impact. A bullet flying past close enough he could feel the heat on his cheek bone. He ducks behind a tree as gunfire rains upon the group.

Jason finds his way into the cover of the treetops while Will simply stamps a foot into the ground, raising an icy wall that began blocking off bullets. "What the actual fuck?" Will groans, forming his sword and shield in his hands. Jason moves from one bushel of leaves, drawing back an arrow only to realize who was shooting at them.

"It looks like the fuzz."

"English, robin hood!" Deimos yelps, working on a shield of glimmering dust whilst the bullet storm seemed to slow.

"The po-po. One times." Jason continues, only greeted with confused stares. "The police!" Jason leaps down from the branches. "Hold your fire dammit! We're the Justice League." Jason shouts in attempt to stop the onslaught. Somehow, that actually worked, the loud thunder of gunshots beginning to die down.

Deimos and Will just glance at each other, both wondering what kind of cops meet a missing child case with bullets? At least the bullets stopped, meaning the shields could come down.

"We've got this case. Head back to Gotham." Jason assures, wrongfully confident the police would simply bow to the title 'Justice League'.

"We're going to have to ask you and your team to leave. There's a monster on the loose and Gotham animal control has set out all kinds of traps." The chief informs, stroking his mustache with slight annoyance. His eyes settle on the men with some hint of malice.

"Wait. You do know there's children missing in these forests, right? Deimos asks, beginning to imagine a kid getting stuck in one of those grizzly traps. "And you set traps? Much less coming in blowing god knows how many rounds at us!" Deimos was exasperated, these people were mad!

"We are not concerned with that. Our job is to drag that beast in dead or alive, preferably dead." The chief grunts, sending armed men on ahead, completely ruining the trails the group had sent in earlier. "Now leave before we mistake you for that deer-headed thing. Again." The man groans, pushing past Deimos rudely.

"Well… guess we go elsewhere." Jason huffs. "Deimos, You're from around here, right?"

"Yeah… I have an idea." The dragon boy utters, turning around as the group follows.


	5. A Creek?

Rai meanwhile sits horseback, demonic beast beneath her scraping the ground with his hoof. Perhaps the group should have established some form of long distance communicators as she found herself aimlessly wandering through forests on a horse that looked like something out of a horror movie.

Grimmorah, Rai's mount, was a beast to fear and was more intimidating than it's horseman. He stood roughly six feet at the back, and his skin was sickly pale, with pieces seeming to be torn off. Glimmering green smoke escaped from the holes in Grimmorah's hide, especially around his massive hooves seeping the eerie green smog. Grimmorah's skull almost seemed to show, with teeth made of broken glass, sharp and jutting from beneath his bit. He was minimally fleshed, but his bones were thick and what little flesh he did have was muscle rounding out his rump and shoulders. Hips and ribs pushed into the sheet-like skin, threatening to puncture. Foggy shadows of arrows and swords were jammed into his flesh, but he did not bleed or tack was cruelly mounted, saddle made of solid metal and his bridle bit into the flesh of his face. Rai's hand unlovingly held onto the heavy chains she used in place of reigns.

He kept his nose to the ground as the now undisguised rider kept a lookout. Rai's vision saw past the trees,but there was no one close enough for her to distinguish. She checks to ensure the cloth was secured well enough around her eyes as she continued her search for the rest of her team while her mind wondered elsewhere.

What a beautiful night it was, such a shame humans shunned the dark in favor for of sunny days. Seemed foolish to waste a cool yet bright night. The full moon glistened in the sky jeweled with stars, and not a single cloud rolled by. A beautiful night, that could quickly become stained with blood.

XXXXXXXXXX

"A creek!" Jason yells in a muffled tone. "Out of all the ways through the middle of bum fuck egypt. You choose a god damn muddy creek!" Jason continues to squabbles quietly, thoroughly pissed as he pulls his boots out of the mud.

"Hey, I used to swim in this creek during the spring when it was full. It's not that bad. Stop being such a wuss." Deimos snorts, keeping his steps light as not to sink too far into the mud. Even still he did still get swallowed ankle deep by the earth. "Just be quiet. Don't want mister stick up his ass to fi-"

"Trap. 3 o'clock about 5 feet." Will interrupts, pointing out a iron bear trap sunken into the mud. Moving closer to get a good look. "Jesus. What are they trying to catch? These things hold grizzlys." He breathes admiring the dauntingly glistening teeth.

"Whatever it is, let's try not to run into it." Deimos shudders at the thought of meeting some massive creature in a muddy as hell creek bed.

"Heads up, the creek goes from mud to gravel pretty fast. And it's slippery."

The trio tracks on, trudging through mud and eventually gravel.

XXXXXXXXX

"So where are we going?" A little boy asks. Holding a small and dainty hand. He was tiny, wearing a bright yellow jacket and looked wondrously to the figure that led him.

"Somewhere safer than here. Stay close." A soft and sweet voice answers, reassuring violet eyes keeping the boy calm in the dark forest.

Her body was small, slender and she fit the description of a fairy. Skin pale and white hair reached down to the fawns back. Antlers adorned her head and fawn ears rotated around getting a good feel from her surroundings through sound. She was scantily dressed in white robes tied in knots to resemble loose fitting clothing. The beautiful beast's feet were bare but she was sure footed enough to walk through the area like that. Her face was beautiful, with large bright eyes and porcelain skin. She had a natural flush to her cheeks, thick black lashes that dusted across the faint freckles on her cheekbones.

"Calypso? Where's my mom?" The child asks, beginning to feel a bit of fear as the darkness of the woods began to become real to him.

"We'll find her. Until then, you can stay with me. During the day we should play hide and seek." Calypso offers, trying to bring a bit of joy back to him. Which apparently worked as he lifts his chin a bit higher. "So your name was Kevin, right?"

"Yup!"

"Good. I like that name." Calypso smiles, finding herself upon a dry creekbed. She glances back and tests the slope, to ensure it wasn't too steep for Kevin to make it safely down.

SNAP

Calypso bites her lip as not to scream, the water around her left shin beginning to stain crimson. She winces, tracing the chain back to a large spike in the ground and a bell. If she pulled, it'd ring. She breathes, attempting to keep calm as waves of pain wrack her body, spine cringing as if to beg Calypso to move away from what was causing her agony. She wanted nothing more than to kick the contraption off, but doing so would only wound her further. She was bleeding into the water profusely and the teeth only dug deeper.

"Eh, hey Kevin?" Calypso asks, trying to keep her composure. "Let's play hide and go seek now. I'll count. Okay?" The fawn knew sending him off was dangerous, but she believed it was less dangerous than if he were to stay here.

"Okay! No peeking!" Kevin laughs, running off to go and hide.

Calypso groans, sitting back in the water. Tears streak down her face as she loses feeling in her toes. She'd been caught. She retrieves one of the hand-made, stone axes at her belt, attempting to wedge one into the teeth of the trap, but she only managed to relieve some of the pressure on her leg. She kept the stone edge there and tried to get her fingers under the teeth, but even then, the trap had bitten down tightly. Her eyes trace the chain back to the bank, eyeing the stake that'd been driven in. Perhaps she could pull that out of the loose mud. The fawn gently stood, dragging the heavy clamp with her to attempt to pull the stake but instead the string holding down the bell came loose and rang violently.

She pulled again, just trying to get loose, but she wasn't strong enough to pull it off in time. Boots were scaling down the ledge toward her. She snarls, in an effort to look intimidating, but she could barely stand. She just had to survive, she lowers her head, trying to get her horns between her and the men coming for her.

XXXXX

Continuing down the gravelly creek the team silently kept dodging traps. Only speaking when one was spotted and eventually Deimos began taking the liberty to safely disarm them so no one else could stumble across them. However the high pitched yelp ahead caught their attention. Their paces quicken in attempt to meet it in case it was the kid they were looking for.

Instead they were met with the imagery of a white fawn trapped in the creek, fighting best she could with a pair of stone axes, unable to move more than two feet and blood flowing loose in the creek as men attempted to grab her by her antlers. She hisses, trying to put on a threatening display, but one backed away, they only continued to advance. They were merciless, handling her like a wild animal.


	6. Dragon's Breath

Luckily an arrow soars through the air in time to catch the hand of the man attempting to drag her. The other men readied their rifles to fire but Will had that under control. He adjusted his shoe into the dirt, water vapor quickly freezing solid, pushing the air out of its lattice resulting in a wall of ice as sturdy as concrete.

"Deimos, take her." Will shouts, trying to keep his wall up as the heat of the bullets began chipping away at the ice.

"Part of me thinks these aren't real cops." Jason notes as he works on going up a tree for a better vantage point. "Where the fuck is blondie?"

"Somewhere. Probably on her way." Will answers as he does his best to cover Deimos as he began attempting to get the clamp off Calypso's leg. He begins freezing more water from the air, spears floating above his wall, blindly flying toward the hoard of men. He couldn't aimr through the ice, so he was going with the 'spray and pray' method. Deimos pulled on the metal clamps but try as he might, it was clamped way too hard.

"Will. Take this. I can't get it." Deimos calls, switching places with Will to defend.

Deimos noticed that the hot bullets began boring holes through Will's ice and putting cracks in it. The wall was doomed to break if the load on it wasn't letting up fast enough. Jason was doing his best but he could only fire arrows at a few at a time and only when he wasn't being fired at either.

He began flipping through things in his mind and the only thing Deimos could come up with was risky. Although, it could be very worth it. The last thing Deimos wanted was to kill anyone, but if it had to be done to survive, he would. Deimos's wings spread, the imprint of the stars swirling along the undersides in brilliant purples, pinks and blues. A strong down beat launched the dragon-child onto the top of the wall, folding his wings up as not to see them struck by flying bullets. This was risky, bullets flew his direction as the men worked on readjusting their aim to to attempt to strike him down.

His hands go up as if he were holding some sort of flute, taking in as much air as he could and then letting it all out… A pure inferno spun from him burning through everything in it's path and climbing up the nearby trees. Dragon's breath was one of the hottest flames in the world, burning through flesh and bone, turning the forest into the gates of hell. The screams of the condemned whimpering among the crackling pyre of wood and iron.

"Damn! That was awesome!" Jason laughs, literally watching the world burn.

"Don't celebrate yet!" Deimos groans as the familiar sound of a chopper hums in the distance. Boots trekking through the brush behind them also began to grow nearer. Seemed the fight would have to continue and only escalate.

"Fuck."

Jason felt fine taking on a few infantry, but bringing in a helicopter with larger weaponry was going to get hairy. The archer had some tools in his arsenal, but he didn't anticipate running into anything this heavily armored.

"Deimos, I got it. Take her! She's bleeding out." Will calls, holding up the limp form of the white fawn. She was weak and barely conscious, just enough to speak.

"Find him. He's hidden-" All Calypso could mutter as she was passed from Will to Deimos.

"Him? Who's- dammit. Find whoever she's talking about. Got it?" Will asks.

With another downbeat of wings, Deimos was off.

XXX

Rai meanwhile had her hands quite full. The chopper had gotten distracted with her rather than meeting the main group and was launching quite copious amounts of bullets her way as Grimmorah's hooves churned the dirt beneath them, his groaning breath rasping in his chest.

The demon horseman scanned through trees searching for some clear place to lead the chopper but nothing seemed to work. She'd have to reach deeper and rely on rift travel.

The _rift_ is often described as a crawlspace between the mortal world and hell. It has it's own geology, mountains, valleys and plains that are independent of the mortal worlds and in some places can overlap, making weak spots in the interdimensional wall that holds the two worlds apart. The normal world, the rift and hell all interlace like braided twine, although the rift separates the two at all times. Any demon that escapes hell, almost always gets caught in the confines of it. Some religions even describe the rift, such as catholicism and their depictions of purgatory.

Although it was inhospitable to most creatures, some thrived in it. Grimmorah was one of those creatures. He could leap from the rift to earth with no need to overlap and could use the geology of the rift to keep his footing where the terrain of the real world was inconvenient and he'd seem to either fly, sink or sometimes walk on could also take his rider into the rift in one area of the rift and come out with her moments later, whereas Rai alone would have to locate an overlap to access the rift.

Grimorrah's hooves seemed to leave the ground as he climbs through the rift's landscape, hooves thundering upward, still attempting to outrun the bullets, but he caught one in the side,letting out a demonic scream and flowing green smoke spilled from the hole in his hide. The horse took the brunt of the flying bullets, but was unwavering. Rai's scythes drawn on each side as she kept trying to get around the chopper's gun, but it just wouldn't work, she was too far out in the open. It spun around just as quickly as she ran around it.

She'd have to take this out more directly. Rai's vision spots a perfect overlap in the sky where a rift peak met the sky. She gauges thet timing she'd need to reach it, but if hit this fight could turn in her favor. She stands in her saddle, leaping, one scythe poised behind her, the other swings in front as she felt a quick impact into her side. Nevertheless she continued on, disappearing into the rift through the weak overlap. She emerged with great speed a half a second later, trajectory sending her right through the cockpit of the chopper. Her rear scythe swinging forward to slice through it, metal, people and all and passing through the other side and safely into Grimmorah's saddle who'd taken the liberty to rift travel on the other side.

The blades of the helicopter tilted as as it spins into a nearby tree, engulfing itself in flames as it crashes, leaving the demon horseman working her way back onto the mortal ground. Rai began to realize the importance of finding the group. If there was one trigger happy chopper, there was probably more heading their way.

She was just about to kick Grimmorah on… untill she heard the faint laughter of her worst nightmare.

A child.

He was laughing at the sight of a crashed chopper, innocently overlooking the fact that a good 4 people probably died in that blaze. But that wasn't at all what disturbed Rai. What disturbed Rai was the faint flickering of his soul. So easily she could just extinguish that light and take it for herself. Children put Rai through the biggest test of virtue. Children and the ill.

This had to be what they were sent in looking for so she couldn't just leave him. She takes a moment to settle herself, looking away from the temptation that stood in front of her and dismounted.

"Come on." Was all she said, hoisting him up to rest on her hip and then onto the back of the saddle as she rode off with him in search for the team whilst holding her breath and attempting to keep her patience.


	7. Aren't we a pair?

Deimos's wings beat down, eyes scanning bellow as he notices the fight before him. A flying horse and a chopper wasn't too hard to miss as well as the plume of smoke after it went down. He didn't at all recognize who the horseman was, but he was able to see who it was upon closer inspection. The half-dragon had sensed magic radiating off Rai back at the base, so it was only proper to assume she had been hiding herself as human.

He looked down to see the flush from Calypso's cheeks fading as she continued to bleed. He had to land, wings folding in as he tried to land as steadily as he could. He was about to speak but the look on Rai's face screamed strain. Even though her eyes were concealed she was biting her lip to the point of bleeding.

"Take this!" Rai quickly demands, picking up Kevin and shoving him closer to Deimos and backing away, sitting down under a tree for a few moments rest, never directly looking back at the child while Deimos sets Calypso down to work on stopping the bleeding.

"What's with you? Phobia of kids or something?" Deimos asks, genuinely worried about the future missions they may be sent on. He then noticed she also averted herself from even looking at Calypso.

"Don't want to talk about it." The demon shakes her head, shifting to sit more perpendicular to the other three so she wouldn't have to see them.

"Rai, We're a team. You're the only one who didn't even offer to introduce yourself and now you're shying away from telling us what's wrong. Imagine what the league would say." Deimos's voice was calm, cool and collected. He only offered toneless words, not meaning to push Rai into saying anything, yet simply warning her of what might happen. "We should be able to trust each other."

Rai was silent for a moment, considering. "I don't see people as people. Just souls."

"Come again?" Reptilian blue eyes cut up from his work, trying to process exactly what she'd just said.

"I'm a demon, Deimos. We're predispositioned to see humans as nothing but souls for the taking. It's an energy rush to steal the life from them and some get addicted. I-I can't be allowed around children. Or the sick, or injured or anyone in a weakened state. Is it bad that I just feel so tempted?" Rai was able to keep her cool, but fear began to overwhelm her. Her tone ever so slightly trembling with the strain.

What if he thought she was too dangerous to be around?

"I see." Deimos pauses to tighten his bandages down. "Well. With that noted, I'll just keep you out of infirmaries. But I am curious. Mind if I probe a little?" He asks as if she hadn't just stated she was a predator with a pretty face.

Horns scraped the tree as Rai's head tilts in the dragon's direction out of curiosity. "Ask away." Seems he wasn't too afraid of her, she supposed she could answer some questions. Although she did fully intend to pry on how dragon and human genetics worked out later.

"You mean demons steal souls as in they eat them? So basically by you walking around in the human world, it's equivalent to a fox in a chicken pen." The dragon asks, shimmering cyan dust swirling around them to attempt to get Calypso's wounds to close.

"That's… actually accurate. Sort of. The stronger healthier souls aren't near as tempting. Those who are weak or weaken themselves are incredibly enticing. It's easy to just take those impulsively. You'd have to be trying to take a healthy one." Rai averts her gaze even further as Kevin began moving a bit more, playing with a stick he found and drawing in the dirt. "Sometimes I feel like I shouldn't be around humans at all… Even though I rather enjoy the company. I can't tell what people look like either. I don't see their bodies, just their souls and the outline of their body's shape." She sighs, looking down to notice a pool of her own blood begin to form, but she ignores it. "I don't want to kill anyone. But sometimes I just get the feeling to just snatch a soul to see what it'd feel like"

A faint smile crosses Deimos's face as he got the little fawn stable. "I can't completely relate, although, I mean. I'm part dragon. I could torch entire cities with a sneeze. The urge to light everything on fire hits me occasionally."

Rai chokes up laughter. "A soul stealer and an arsonist. Aren't we a pair."


	8. Batman's Going to Blow a Gasket

Meanwhile defending themselves from the pseudo-cops had become rather easy now that most of them had either been set ablaze or ran for their lives. Will and Jason made quick work of it. Icy spears and flying arrows finding their way into a number of cops leaving them with some nasty wounds. Seems the Justice League hadn't made the whole 'no murder' thing clear yet.

"Okay. So now we just find Puff and Goldilocks and we're all good." Jason hops down from his tree, taking the time to go get some of the arrows he could still find. Will on the other hand was exhausted from doing the bulk of the close-range combat. Sweat built up on his skin and under his hoodie, although he'd just deal with it.

"You know her hair is black,right?" Will mentions, deciding he'd go ahead and bust the whole magic hiding powers thing.

"No. She was a blonde bombshell last time I saw her." The archer's face seemed somewhat dazed, as if he couldn't remember that doll-like face any differently.

"Sorry buddy, Your disney princess looks more like a villain."

And with that idea, Jason began to worry they were working with Ursula. The idea of losing his voice to a sea-witch began to creep up in his head.

"Anyway. Off to find Deimos. I think he actually went that way. May have taken out that chopper we heard." Will hopes out loud. He really didn't want to have to take down a chopper too. Upon glancing at Jason he began to realize the man was probably physically frail. He looked awful willowy, more of an angular pretty boy. Will himself did look rather pretty-faced as well, although he could take a hit and dish it back out hard. Jason seemed more comfortable at a distance and keeping foes far away. He was panting, sweating and a bit exhausted from having to fire so many arrows at a time.

"Need to rest?" Will asks as the two walk.

"No. No. Let's just go. I feel fine." Jason shook his head following along as he catches his breath.

The pair walk until they find themselves following a trail of smoke and the smell of burning jet fuel until they stumbled upon Deimos working on Calypso, Kevin digging in the dirt with a stick and Rai laid against a tree… blood pooling under her.

"Rai?" Will asks as Jason was immediately on guard. The mere sight of Rai made him weary as she'd gone from blonde bombshell to a beast.

"Calm down. It's Rai. What the hell!?" Wills as Rai seemed rather sluggish suddenly.

"Eh. Took out the chopper. Might have gotten shot in the process. I'll be okay." Rai blinks. She needed to just stay still for a while. Deimos however seemed rather upset Rai'd said nothing.

"Rai, why!? I'm right here!" He groans, getting up to move to her.

"No need. I can heal myself. " Rai mentions. "Besides. Healing a demon could hurt you in return." She suddenly went calm, head falling back against the tree behind her, body going limp.

Jason grew more concerned as he realized she very well could be dead. He knelt, moving to read her pulse finding nothing at all. He quickly lays her down, about to attempt removing the armored corset, trying to remove the multiple buckles and straps that held the pauldron on seemed confusing enough to make his efforts useless.

"She's dead, dick for brains. Of course there's no pulse." Will scoffs.

"I refuse to let someone die on the first mission dammit!" Jason argues, struggling to find the right buckle to even figure out how to get the armor off.

"No. I mean she's a demon. She's not going to have a pulse. Just let her do her thing." Will had assumed since Rai was so calm, it wasn't such a big deal, but Deimos was skeptical. Shock could leave the dying pretty calm. Although relief hit him as the bullet hole at her hip began to heal up, the metal finding its way back out of the entry wound and hitting the ground. She looked peaceful, like a corpse primed for the ground by the most meticulous coroner.

"Alright… Healing factor. Noted." Deimos mentions, looking back to the fawn who's hand clenched into the grass beneath her. She groans, disoriented and confused as she works to get up, falling back over into the grass. "Easy. Don't hurt yourself." Deimos eases to let her sit up.

"Thank you I-... Is she dead?" Calypso asked as soon as her vision focused to see Rai's motionless body.

"Erm…. We don't know." Jason trails of just as Rai coughs, having finished healing herself. She sits up, stretching.

"No. Not dead. Just healing. I have to sort of die again to fix damage." Rai explains, having heard everything that transpired while she was down. She works to adjust the straps that Jason had loosened in his worry. Calypso shakes her head trying to clear the ringing in her ears as they twitch.

"You feel well enough to talk?" Deimos asks as the fawn seems to get her bearings. "I think you may have some information we need."

"Yeah, Ask away. Just keep your voice down." Calypso's sweet voice whispers, as not to agitate her growing headache.

"We're here investigating some missing children."

Calypso blinks before groaning. "You mean the ones that their mothers let them wander off into these woods without a care?" She attempts to stand before a wave of nausea hits her, forcing her back down on her rear. "I always return them. I've just been having trouble finding Kevin's mom." She motions toward the little boy who'd taken an interest in Jason. Luckily, the archer decided to keep him distracted and away from Rai by playing a crudely crafted game of pictionary by drawing in the dirt with a stick.

"So you don't take them from their mothers?" Will attempts to clarify. He was beginning to wonder if this was a misunderstanding that'd gotten out of hand.

"Not intentionally,no. Longest I've kept one is three days. Her mom came in with a search party and I sent her back then. They almost always come back." She attempts to stand again.

"Annnnd then they tell their mothers they were taken care of by a 'deer headed woman' scaring the public." Rai fills in the gaps, realizing this was all a witch hunt after a creature that meant no harm. She truely pitied the fawn, she was doing her best to help people, with the children's safety at the front of her mind. And yet she was shunned, punished for her kindness.

Jason shakes his head, this was still odd though. "Even so, there's no way those were real cops. Real cops don't fire bullets or fly an armed chopper into a missing child's case. Much less set out bear traps." Who were they? He could swear if it was a real missing child's case, the police would be combing the place on foot.

"Crowley's henchmen. Theyre here to take me back to that awful lab… Speaking of… you look familiar." Calypso's eyes fix on Deimos who had stiffened at the mention of a .

"Silithia." Was all Deimos had to say.

The fawn's face lit up with joy as she leapt up and hugged the half-dragon. "So you're the little baby she brought me! I haven't seen you in…"

"15 years." Deimos awnsers as Will blinks in confusion.

"Wait… How old are you?"

"15."

The group was silent. Deimos looked in his mid-twenties, the idea of him being a teenager made them collectively tilt their heads and stare.

"Dragons age differently. I've looked like this since I was ten and I'll probably look like this until I die." Deimos breaks the silence, just wanting them to stop gawking at him.

"You have to get out of here. Crowley's men have been all over the place. If they find you, we're in trouble." Calypso finally manages to stand on her own, urging them to leave.

"You're coming with us. And so is he." Deimos demands, moving to pick Calypso up against her will.

"Bat man's going to blow a gasket." Jason warns.

"He can pull the stick out of his ass and deal with it." Will retorts, agreeing fully with Deimos, Rai on the other hand was quiet, thinking as usual while the team made it into the zeta tube, leaving the horseman behind.


	9. Angel's Fall

"You solved the missing children's case… but you brought back this?" Bruce groans, eyeing down the nervous fawn from behind his intimidating cowl. "What exactly can she do?"

The team look to one another, slightly ashamed yet still hopeful he'd grow to approve of her. Although Calypso did finally step up. "I-I'm an archer."

"We have one. Try again." Bruce shuts her down, losing patience.

"Survivalist?"

"We don't have anyone who isn't."

"Bruce. Please. She's fought her way through hell to be here." Deimos steps in, deciding not to let Calypso be bullied around. "She'll find a place here."

Batman was silent for a moment. "She has a week. If she is the slightest liability or makes no difference, she's getting turned over to the authorities for child abduction." Bruce lets his demands sink in for a moment. "Go home. I'll send when I have more for you."

There was a moment of silence before Will scoffs. "What an enormous dick"

Deimos shakes his head before moving to pull Calypso into a reassuring hug. "He has a point. His ultimatum is a bit cruel. But a point. She has to be our ace in some si-"

"I can do magic." Calypso interjects quietly.

"Why wouldn't you tell batman that?" Jason groans, plopping down on the couch as the door lets in the rain and blood drenched horseman, which ceased all conversation in the room.

"What the fuck happened to you?" The amazonian lifts an eyebrow at the amount of blood she's trailing in.

"Had some errands to run. How'd it go with batman?" Rai deflects, putting her glamours up as quickly as possible.

The silence answered for everyone. Rai simply shakes her head, blond curls cascading over her shoulders as her glamour spell shimmers into place, the illusion of perfection showing itself.

"I have a week to prove myself and all I have is useless magic I can't figure out how to use." Calypso squeaks.

"Useless? No magic is useless." Rai hums, conjured eyes trailing up to meet the terrified fawn.

"B-but. This is! I haven't been able to use it for anything but a light show! And it still doesn't happen when I want it to!" Calypso was in a bit of a panic, worried about getting turned in to the government then shoved back in that god awful lab.

Jason and Will just looked at each other in the living room. Will had some magic with his ice abilities, but neither of them had any helpful input, so they decided to stay out of it, for fear of making it worse.

"You really think batman will let her stay?" Jason whispers.

"Honestly? No. I hope he does. She seems really nice."

Both look back to the events unfolding, Will seemed particularly disturbed about the whole ordeal. "She didn't even kidnap any kids." He mentions. "So why would bats say she did?"

"A power play?"

"I don't think batman would throw his weight around like that for the shit of it." Will shakes his head in disapproval. The idea of bullying around a scared fawn just because he could disgusted Will.

"We have a week." Deimos reminds. "I bet I can teach you some things. And Rai, you seem pretty adept in this stuff too."

The demon shrugs. "Depends what kind of magic we're dealing with." Demons were creatures of dark magic and not much else besides minor illusions. Rai was capable of casting powerful spells, but she didn't use her magic often so massive magical output would be straining.

"Demo time?" The dragon suggests, trying to encourage her as much as he could. Deimos couldn't bear to see Calypso go, especially if it meant back to a horrible lab.

The fawn shivered, reluctant to attempt it, but if she wanted to stay she'd have to. She huffs, trying to get her mind right. It took almost thirty seconds before she could get anything to happen, but eventually markings previously invisible on her skin flared up glimmering white. The floor around her glowed a faint circle of arcane marks around her feet and her antlers seemed to spark.

It was at this moment Rai winces noticeably, her glamours involuntarily falling from the sudden exposure to this new magic. The dragon's child was merely smiling widely with the prospect of another magician.

The sparking grew to arcs of white dancing between the points, a writhing ball of energy growing between them as her ears slicked back and the lights in the building begin to dim, startling the two men on the couch to turn and jump at the sight.

The demon began to squirm, everything in her telling her to get as far from this power as she could. The darkness within her writhing from the light. But she foolishly ignored her instincts. Her mind coming up with a way to negate this should things go south. And go south they did.

The fawn's energy suddenly fizzled out with a violent lash at the demon. Rai's hand moving up and a black smog building up around her, mirroring the light that bathed Calypso. It managed to block off the attack but took quite a bit of effort on Rai's part to stop. "Well… It's not useless. Direct shot and I'd probably be no more than ash." She shudders, rather surprised at the raw potential lying in front of them.

"I'm so sorry, Rai!" Calypso mewls, guilt washing over her features as she realized she could have accidentally killed one of her new friends. "I've never seen it actually lash out like that before. I promise I didn't do it on purpose."

Deimos frowns, he figured he'd have to teach Calypso since her unbridled magic seemed to be deadly to demons. If that was just Calypso fumbling around, he began to wonder what she could really do. "I've read about this kind of magic before. But I don't know where."

"Angels. I've never seen anything other than one of the white city's centurions use that." Rai mentions, trying to shed some light on what they might be dealing with. "How on earth a mortal got magic like that is a story I'd love to hear, but next time we attempt that, just make sure I'm far, far away."

"Angels? So we have a demon and an angel. Calypso, If we can get that under control, I bet batman would be more than willing to let you stay!" Deimos yelps in excitement, the fawn herself beginning to get her hopes up.

"Well what are you waiting for? Get on it then." Will calls, somewhat excited to see there was a glimmer of hope their little refugee might get to stay.


	10. Something about Will

That night Rai was restlessly staring at the ceiling. Why did a mortal have angel's magic? And if it just decided to lash out at her, could it be contained for use or would she be constantly in danger of getting smited? The whole issue was beginning to weigh on her. Unbridled divinity could be a death sentence for a creature of hell such as herself, although Rai was pretty adept at defending herself from such attacks.

She glances over to the clock on her wall reading it to be about two in the morning. Seemed that when she had something on her mind, nights just seemed to get longer. There was a television mounted on the opposite wall, just far enough that her field of static wouldn't disrupt it from the bed, so she supposed some television would be a nice change of pace. As soon as she reaches for the remote she's noticed a flicker through the wall.

Will's room was directly across the hall so she could see through the walls to his flickering soul, which seemed to be fighting for it's life. Yet there was no other presence around him to threaten him. She'd never seen a sleeping man in such distress. She'd only seen this in people who'd just seen something truly terrible. Normally when asleep, the tones of one's aura would dull and radiate more of a cool light, instead it was violently flickering red, yellows and casting a black shadow of despair.

She was at a loss for what to do. Easing herself out of bed, Rai continues to watch as the darker shadow that indicated Wil's body was restlessly moving about.

The horseman walks into the hallway, careful not to make any noise and moves to open Wills door. It was locked. She set aside her confusion to find a way around this, however she wasn't thinking long before a fearful scream echoed through the apartment, Startling Rai into moving for her scythe that wasn't at her hip. Will's body had jerked out of bed, his soul calming it's violent thrashing, but she could hear his heavy, fear laced breath.

She knew he was broken inside, but she hadn't expected this of someone who seemed so strong. This wasn't healthy for a mortal. Something like this could lead to dangerous outcomes long term. Will did a damn good job of seeming alright in the face of even the most perceptive of demons.

Meanwhile Will shakes his head, shoving the dreams from his head. He let out a shaky breath, reaching for his nightstand, searching for his pill bottle.

Hesitation hit him before he quickly swallowed a pill then attempted in vain to go back to sleep. Soon the world blurred, his mind lost in a haze. As if he was floating on the current.

Rai had to control herself all night. The urge to check on Will was not only what had kept her on edge, but he'd done something to weaken himself and she had to stay with the temptation to snuff out his soul. She was left wondering what on earth he'd done to cause him to get that weak that fast. She set herself at the kitchen table to face away from Will's bedroom so she didn't have to look at him.

Questions just kept hitting Rai. Why did her roommate scream? There was something batman was hiding from her about him, she just knew it.

"Mornin'!" Will chimes, starting up the coffee maker.

"Sleep well?" Rai probes, baiting him for an answer.

"Yep." Will lied so well. Had Rai not seen him restless, she'd have believed him. The momentary silence began to make Will's mind crawl, turning back to see the demon staring right at him.

"I call bullshit." Rai bluntly states as she stands from the chair. "I know you did something yourself last night. Whatever it was, don't do it while I'm home. Or next time I might not be able to control myself and you'll be dead." With that the demon was about to head out the door, leaving Will both ashamed and enraged.

"Wait. Where are you going?" He stares.

"Errands. I'll be back later."


	11. Spellbooks

(This section takes place at the same time the last chapter did)

Soft candlelight glowed in the library of the base and the smell of old parchment stained the room. Deimos was awake, flipping through pages and skimming over information for magics an angel might possess or even spells a creature of the light may use. He'd been reading for hours it seemed until his phone in his pocket began buzzing.

"Hello?"  
"Deimos? Where are you so late? I made steak and you never came home!" A woman's voice groans.  
"Sorry Grace. Late night working on some things for a teammate." Deimos settles back, running his hands through his hair. The one downside to being completely nocturnal, everyone else's schedule was such an inconvenience, even his adoptive mother's.  
"We know you take this whole Justice League thing serious, and we're proud of you. But please tell us next time you feel like pulling an all-nighter away from home." Grace sighed.

Deimos blinked, looking up to see it was two in the morning. "Yeah. I'll head home now. Just got to make a stop first." He feels around in his pocket to make sure he still had the stone he'd picked up while at the creek that night and stands, leaving his work where it was and pulling on his coat after blowing out his candle.

It was a nice night, the full moon lighting his path as he took a long detour, passing through the cemetery on his way. Down the gravel path, under the large tree that sheltered her, he moved to a particular gravestone with a small pile of rocks that'd collected there over the years. The halfbreed switches the stone to his left hand and places it on the grave, sitting down next to the headstone and resting his head against it.

"You'd know what to do. You always did." He mutters. This was a multiple times a week occurrence for Deimos. Collect a rock from wherever he'd been, take it to his mother, and have one sided heart to hearts. His way of keeping her included in his life.

"I have a week, If I don't help her in a week, Batman's going to treat her like they treated you. She says she knows you. Even knows me." That last bit left him confused. Silithia had sheltered him from most of the gruesome details of the lab, having escaped when he was just a few days old. She hid with him for eight years, and in all that time, she kept him completely in the dark of the horrors she'd been protecting him from.

"I just wish you'd have told me more. Maybe then I could help her."

Deimos often found himself longing for his mother. His real mother. He could remember nights when it was raining, she'd cover him with her wing to keep him dry, she'd fought off hordes of men just to keep him safe and yet he still felt he didn't get near enough time with her. His mind kept going back to when she'd first taught him magic. She was aligned with moonlight so most spells he knew were charged with lunar energy. Silithia knew others and taught Deimos the basics in all trades, he just had a bit of trouble remembering light magic. Since it was a bit of a contrast to his usual magic, it was tougher to learn so Deimos had kind of abandoned it.

He closes his eyes, resting his head back against the smooth headstone, trying to think. Then it hit him. A book. Silithia herself was illiterate, but someone had given her that book to give to Deimos to teach him magic. He sits straight up, trying to remember where it'd gone. No way he would have gotten rid of it. Somewhere on that bookshelf, he was sure he'd find it! Only issue was where. Over the years the young wizard had collected thousands of books. Hell he had some spill over into his adoptive parent's attic and, even through their nagging to get rid of some of the ones he didn't want, he never ever parted with any of them.

Then again almost all were spell books. The buyer pool for spell books was narrow already, and some of those books in the wrong hands could prove incredibly dangerous to those not adept enough to wield the spells contained inside. He couldn't bring himself to risk someone else getting something far too strong. So he collected and collected.

The half dragon stands excitedly, turning to pay his final respects for the night and finally heads home to his grey adoptive parents. He respected Grace and Tim Bell to no end. Not many people would open their homes to an 8 year old half-dragon who wouldn't speak. He didn't say anything to them until he was 10 and even then it was only a few words at a time. They had to teach him to read and write and do all the things Silithia tried her hardest to do. Deimos thanked god every day that he had three people in his life who loved him, collectively. Most people only got two.

Part of Deimos wished Silithia could meet them, He was certain she'd love them.

He quietly made his way to his bedroom as not to wake them seeing as they decided to do what most people do at night and go to bed. Deimos had other plans. Within a second of getting into his room he began pulling out every book he owned, which was alot. An entire wall of his room was nothing but bookshelves which had been stuffed so tightly that any more books had to be rested on top of the row. He'd started at the top, flipping through the first few pages, then stacking them up on the nearest flat surface he could find until he had eight towers of precariously leaning books. Finally he found it.

"Beginners Guide to Spells, Magic and Divinity." The book was so old the pages were beginning to yellow and some even threatened to fall out. The leather binding was hand stitched but still held together nicely. He sits down and begins reading.

Hours go by and he took pages upon pages of notes, and eventually got onto some experimentation himself, attempting to recreate the magic he'd seen Calypso use. It took the entire night until daybreak to finally figure it out enough so that it wouldn't be too dangerous to use in a teaching environment. He didn't even get all the way through the book. However upon digging he found multiple books on similar subjects and had a list for the next time he found himself in a bookshop. Sadly the nearest bookshop of this sort was in Gotham, which was a fairly good distance away. He figured perhaps he could use the zeta tubes from the base though, so perhaps that was an option. He toyed around with the idea of asking Rai to come as well, he figured she might find something she liked there given the place was almost always full of a couple of people he thought looked like demons.


	12. Hell and Pancakes

Rai made it into the base pretty early, but seems she was beaten by a golden haired archer. Of all the people to be here early, she hadn't expected him. He was in the kitchen cooking up a giant pile of pancakes. She instantly puts up her glamours and blinks at the sheer amount of fluffy pancakes on that plate.

"Think you have enough pancakes?" She inquires, sitting back into one of the chairs at the table.  
Jason jumps out of his skin, not having heard Rai at all. "God damn, woman! Keep doing that and I'm going to tie a bell around your neck." He laughs, tossing an egg in the air, catching it and cracking it into the pan. "They're for everyone."

"Don't you have like a team of butlers that can just make you pancakes at home?" Rai questions, sensing something off about Jason. She'd noticed he was strange upon the moment they met. Surrounded by people, yet lonely.

"Eh. I like my pancakes better. Want some?" He asks, turning around with a platefull before Rai could even say no. She supposed a few couldn't hurt. Demons didn't need to eat, but that didn't mean she couldn't. She prods the puffy, round cakes with a fork for a moment before looking back to Jason.

"What's being the son of a Justice Leaguer like?" She blurts out, testing for a reaction. Luckily he didn't respond as violently as she'd expected her roommate to.

"Kind of 's like you don't have parents at all. I was basically raised by nannies. Dyna and Ollie were both constantly doing leauge shit so I just bounced from nanny to nanny and the eventually boarding schools. Why?" He turns, eyeing her down with curiosity.

"I'm wondering about Will. You two have similar backgrounds, So I assume you'd have information." The demon admits. If anyone could give her some perspective, she assumed it was Jason.

"Ah, Will. Didn't know him that well as a kid. To be honest, we didn't even know Diana had a son until he was damn near 10. He didn't have a father in the picture either, and Diana was odd...She'd send him to my place once or twice a year. Seemed strange. There's not anything he didn't do. Dance, cello, guitar, even ice skating." Jason sits across from Rai with a pile of pancakes for himself. "But oddly, I don't remember her ever really acting like the mother of a successful dancer, musician or skater. I mean hell, I played soccer as a kid, and if mom or dad missed a game it was for a damned good reason."

Rai blinks, thinking silently. It did give her a bit of an idea where the rage came from. But simply being neglected wouldn't leave one having terrors at night. "So nothing violent? Nothing messed him up?"

Jason has to sit and think, reaching into the deepest confines of his memory. "Hm. I remember when I was 17 and he was 18, I overheard my parents saying he was dead. Apparently no body was ever recovered and Diana just buried an empty casket. Strangely he came back six months later, alive but not the ever said anything about it."

Now this perked Rai's interest even more. Alot could happen in six months. "No one ever asked?"

"No. Not really. He was kind of touchy from then on. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen him and Diana in the same room without being at eachother's throats since." Jason rests his ankle on his knee, trying to scrape more out of his brain, but that was all he could recall for now.  
"Why? Is he being a dick?"

"No, no. Not at all. Just getting to know everyone." The demon looks down at her plate, finally taking a bite.  
"Look. Rumor is, there is something wrong with him. If you ever need a place to stay, my apartments open. Although, since you're getting to know everyone… " He takes a sip of his coffee. "My turn to prod you for answers."

"Oh boy."

"A demon, huh?"

"Funny, Will had the same reaction. Technically I'm a devil." She taps her fingernails on the wooden table.  
"Cool. Can you do possessions? All Conjuring Style?" "Um… no… Not that kind of demon. Some thrive off that, some kill and eat humans and others steal souls." Rai sheepishly admits.  
"Well. That leaves eating people or sucking the life out of you. To be honest I think I prefer the second." Jason shudders.

"Well aren't you lucky then." She smiles, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand. "I don't eat people, I don't steal souls either. Temptations there. I just don't."

This slightly eased Jason's apprehensions before he decided to delve further. "What's hell like?"

Rai was silent, leaving Jason to believe he'd struck a sore nerve, visibly grimacing. However Rai did eventually speak up, but she was searching for appropriate words to use that a mortal would understand. She'd had a few ask before but she never managed to give a truly accurate answer before.  
"Not what most people think it's like. Sure there are areas of the stereotypical fire and brimstone, but that's only half of hell. The other half is frozen over. Weaker demons and the newly damned have a tough time. But if you're a devil like me, it's not terrible. You're considered like nobility. Nobility that no lowly demon in their right mind would attack so you're left relatively alone. But it's not really things you'd think that make hell, hell."

"Oh? So It's not a fiery torture chamber of horrors?" Jason leans back in his chair, feet propped up on the table.  
"No, not exactly. It's the other people there that make it hell. Think about it, no one has any morals, the people around you are there for a reason and demons are fundamentally cruel. Some are exceptions, but those exceptions usually tend to find their way out of hell like I did. When newly damned chances are another who's been damned longer, a demon or sometimes even a devil will take you do whatever they please with you. If damned long enough, you lose your humanity and become a demon."

Jason was quiet for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table awkwardly. "So you were human once then?"

Rai stay silent before sighing. "At one time. My name was Jenna and that's all I can remember. Being pulled into your decayed human body three years after death often kills what was left of your human memories. And the process of becoming a demon and eventually a devil kills your memory too since in essence you lose your humanity."

"Jenna." Jason repeats. "That's a really cute name."

Her eyes cut straight up, finding it odd to be hit on after mentioning hell and her own demise. But the thought was interrupted when their new addition to the team showed up. Her hair a mess from sleep.

"Wow, I've never slept like that before. Having your own is amazing!" Calypso yawns.  
"Your own room? Most like it. Certainly beats that forest." Jason smiles. "Pancakes?"  
"I meant a bed. What's a pancake?"

The archer dramatically gasps, scraping three pancakes off onto a plate. "Oh honey, no. Eat some pancakes, then you're going to watch T.V. That I assume you've never watched." He stands, walking Calypso over to the living room and setting her down in front of the television before heading back into the kitchen with the devil who'd barely made a dent in her breakfast.

"So. Why do you think we're here?" Jason asks, quietly as not to be overheard by the fawn who was currently engrossed in an amazing episode of My Little Pony.  
"Pardon?" Rai's gaze shifts, having been caught a bit off gaurd.  
"I mean, why would bats assemble a team like… well. Us. Think about it, no one here seems to be really… hero-ish. By principle or capability." The golden archer points out. Will seemed to be quite the violent asshole and Rai was a soul stealing demon… and then there was him.

"Well. Deimos." Rai mentions. Out of all of them, Deimos seemed to be the most likely to stay on the right and narrow in her eyes. "And you seem perfectly fine."

"I'm not necessarily considered good hero material by any means. Dad seems to think I'm a liability." Jason groans, looking back on his father's incessant nagging. Take your medicine, go take a nap, don't look at a damn T.V screen. So much micromanaging from someone who was hardly ever around. "What I mean though, Is there's a teen titans team and another team like us. They're actually in the news and shit, but we've been kind of… covert. Don't you think it's weird?"

Rai blinks but before she could say anything the Zeta tube chimed in, warping Deimos to the base. 


	13. Light and Dark

"I figured it out!" The dragon chirps. He was quite the sight, rain soaked, hair an absolute mess, his clothes were a bit more disheveled and he had a bit of stubble growing in. It was strange, he was usually so well put together and not a hair out of place.

"What happened to you!?" Jason groans going back to work on more pancakes. "Calypso, I think solved your magic troubles!" Deimos laughs, wings twitching against his back beneath his coat. He moves to the kitchen table laying out a pile of papers and about five books as the fawn prys herself away from the T.V.

"Your problem is in your emotion. You're too sporadic. You…" He began going on a rant about magic and emotions and something about their connection. Either way, Rai tuned him out. She turned her attention to the books Deimos laid out and some of his notes. One book caught her attention as a bestiary. Angels, Demons and the Magic They Share. 'What a shitty title', the devil thinks to herself. But she can't resist, opening the book and flipping through the table of contents. Although she was a bit interested in the fact it didn't linger on the beasts themselves, rather their magic, the mechanics of it and the extreme potentials of each kind.

As it stood, angel's magic and demon's magic were polar opposites, obviously. However, neither was stronger than the other contrary to popular belief that light magic always snuffed out dark. The only reason people believed that was because the number of those who used the magic of the divines were very few in quantity yet very well trained as they tended to be deities older than a were common, varying from weak, to the strongest of devils like Rai herself.

Two magicians of opposing types yet equal power would find themselves at a draw on pure strength alone, that was where strategy took over. This was why heaven didn't take over hell and vice-versa. Without one, the other wouldn't exist. She thought this information was more of a common knowledge thing, but it did definitely show Rai that her dark magic must have been stronger than Calypso's light to block her accidental attack. Her mind began to wonder exactly how strong Calypso could get and if they could ever be equals in different lights.

Speaking of Calyspo seemed to have some trouble with the book Deimos had set in her lap. She was only on the first page and already struggling.  
"What's the matter?" Deimos asks, looking up from his own book.  
"I-I don't know what this says." Calypso mumbles. Her face paled with embarrassment. She could read well enough for simple words, but this? This book was just far too intricate. She was probably at a third grade reading level just from pure lack of education. The half-dragon blinked before realizing he should have thought about that beforehand. His own mother was illiterate, he was illiterate until he was 8, It should have been no surprize that Calypso would be as well. What to do now.

"Jason, any ideas?" Deimos asks, frankly, his brain was fried. He'd been awake all day yesterday, all night last night and here he was during the day again, when he was usually asleep, trying to teach an illiterate fawn magic. He was at his wits end and it was only day one.

"Audiobooks? I have a friend who is blind and that's how he reads." The archer suggests, realizing the issue. Calypso spoke english and obviously understood it. Perhaps hearing it spoken instead of read would work.

"That could work… But that means I have to record all of these in a night. That'd take me a week on it's own." Deimos groans, sinking down in his chair. Some of these books were several inches thick, there was no way he could record them all.

"I could do some of it if you can get me a recording device that won't short out around me." The demon suddenly offers. Rai liked Calypso and it would be a shame as something as simple as this sent her away.

"I'm willing to attempt it too. With all three of us on this we should be able to knock this out in a night. Rai do you think just a regular tape recorder would work?" Jason pipes up, realizing he still had an incredibly old tape recorder from the 80's. That didn't deal with too much electricity so he figured it could withstand Rai's presence.

"It might. Between three people doesn't sound like more than a day's work. I'll teach Calypso what I can without these until we can get her those recordings." Deimos thinks out loud, shoving three books to each person. As they begin thumbing through just to see what they were dealing with Jason had some...concerns.

"What's this chicken scratch?" Jason gasps, flipping the page around to show an odd writing form.

Deimos squints to see from across the room. "Ah. Ancient hebrew. Sorry. Here trade. I can read hebrew." Deimos holds out the book he had in exchange for Jasons.

"Someone living who can read ancient hebrew. Isn't that a nearly dead language?" Rai asks, looking up from the pages for a second.

"For those who didn't go to a jewish middle school or weren't raised in the synagogue." He shrugs. It came in handy for older texts. He had taught himself some other dead dialects, he probably didn't get the exact grammar right, but he could grasp basic concepts in Andalusian, Egyptian, and basically any language from areas where sorcery was common like ancient germanic tribes, native american, and ancient arabian scripts.

"So we're dealing with an angel?" Jason asks after having read enough to see the general theme between the books. 


	14. Lab Rejects

Deimos's shoulder raise and fall sharply. "Haven't the slightest clue. All I know is they share the same magic type yet share no other physical features." Deimos blinks

"Not an angel." Rai interrupts. "A true angel would either attack me on sight or run for it's life. Calypso?" The horseman suddenly calls. But the little fawn was silent. She was paying far too much attention to the television, eyes sparkling with sheer amazement that people had such fun machines. "Well… she's zoned out."

"Can you blame her? She's never seen a T.V before. Let her have her fun." Jason shrugs.

It took Deimos a full three seconds to realize his student was having her brain spoiled by children's television. Wonderful.

The door rang once more bringing in the last team member who seemed rather bland, coffee in hand and the usual judgemental glare over his face as he sits at the table, saying nothing. The three who'd previously been alone just blinked at each other wondering who'd have to be the first to ask.

"Good… morning?" Deimos finally spoke up. Gentle prodding usually got people talking.

"Not a morning person." Will grunts, head falling to smack down onto the table. "What is this book club?" He mumbles without even lifting his head.

"Calypso need to learn magic but can't read. So we're making recordings so she can figure it out. It's going to take us all day. Got any plans?" Rai explains in a dead fashion, hoping Will would lighten up a bit. Or at least show interest in something other than liquor and sleep. However much to their surprize the grouchy blonde did glance up, to Calypso and then to the pile of books the group had.

"Fine. I'll help. Coffee first. I'm an absolute bitch untill I get it down." He groans, sitting back up and taking another sip from the cardboard cup.

"I can tell." Jason deadpans, continuing to read yet as soon as he actually go some decent reading in an alarm jolted the team from their morning.

"Come on. I haven't even had my coffee yet and the assholes had to install a fuckin' fog horn!" Will groans, Yet meanwhile in the living room, poor Calypso had leaped out of her skin. The television screen turned to Superman waiting for the team to assemble yet he did find the fact that Calypso was under the coffee table.

It took Deimos a few seconds to convince her the world wasn't ending.

"Team, we have an emergency. These monsters have been showing up all over Star city." The camera cut to show footage of human-line beast with sickly grey skin and elongated extremities. Their teeth looked like a collection of dog's teeth. Once striking thing about them, they had no eyes. "Find where they come from and eliminate them. The Titans and Young Justice teams are working on the nearby towns and we're working on keeping them from spreading much further. You'll have to eliminate the ones in town. Your main objective is to keep them away from the civilians." Superman cuts out as the group was left puzzled. They were under the impression batman would be the quest giver. Either way they had a job to do.

"What the fuck are those ugly things?" Will asks, never having seen something that gross looking.

"Crowley's rejects…" Calypso whimpers, having backed as far away from the screen as she could.

There was a moment of collective thought before Deimos decided to push a bit further for answers.

"So you know where these came from?" He asks, taking her trembling hands to attempt to calm her.

"Not specifically where, but they came from that lab. When 's experiments fail… they turn into that. We have to go stop them!" Calypso yelps, panic beginning to hit her. She'd seen what those things did and knew what they were capable of. She'd rather not see anyone else have to go through that.

"Well, zeta tubes set to go." Jason announces having checked all the computers and slipped into his suit, quiver resting against his spine.

"I'll meet you." Rai stops short, refusing to get into that zeta tube.

"Rai, it's too far and we need you! These things look like they mean business." Deimos attempts to reason with the horseman as she stalls at the idea of being in that tight of an area. She blinks before stepping into the zeta tube with just a silent groan. She squeezed in, wincing at the whole idea of being in such a closed in space. She swore she could almost smell burnt rubber and oil. It made her skin crawl.

Luckily they were zapped into Star City without a hitch. Other than the fact they were teleported into what looked to be a port-a-potty.

"Mexican space shuttle… Really superman?" Jason groans, counting the arrows in his quiver. "Hey doe-eyes. Any idea how to kill these things?" He turns back to Calypso who was pretty much zoning out. She did snap out of it after hearing Jason's new name for her.

"Oh. Um. Just like a person. They were people once. I feel bad for them. They're just so distorted. And lost." Calypso sniffles, guilt crossing her. She could just as easily wound up this way. Her mind went back into a haze before Deimos suddenly laid hands on her shoulder.

"You guys go on ahead. I need a moment with Calypso." He urged as the other three moved along, Rai removing a small crystal figure from her pocket before smashing it to the ground.

The hellish scream of Grimorah erupted as the monster stallion erupted from the smouldering ground causing the two blonde boys to back away in sheer surprize! So that's where the horse came from. The smoke takes form and eventually smoggy green eyes, horseman quickly finding her way into his saddle and tugging the reins to prevent him from taking a quick bite out of anyone.

"Okay so game pl-" A sickening groan cut Will off as they turned to see a large creature looking up from it's kill. A woman laying on the ground, teeth marks up her arms as it seemed to be gnawing on her.

"Plan? Kill it." Jason growls, knocking an arrow and firing it right into where it's eye socket should be, knocking it down with a horrid screech. A fog grew around the pair as the water vapor in the air quickly condensed to a sword and shield, then hissed as he pushed the air from the ice's lattices. Luckily they were all prepared at a good time. A hoard began sweeping through. A dozen of these monsters, running on all fours, teeth bared at the trio.

"Bring it, bitch."


	15. Invasion

"They're after me!" Calypso yelped, beginning to completely shut down. "They're going to bring me b-"

"Snap out of it!" Deimos suddenly shouts, momentarily losing his cool. Hands settling on her small shoulders. "You do want to stay, Right?" He snorts, eyes burning into her like shimmering embers. But he was left with silence.

"Right?" He repeats with a slight jostle. She finally nods, taking a deep breath.

"Alright. They aren't smart enough to have escaped. They were let loose. That means Crowley's after something. If it was just me he wouldn't have cut loose this many. He must be gathering new victims… and something's missing… Let's just hope we don't run into either one of his little pets." Calypso thinks out loud, hoping Deimos would find at least some part of this useful.

"Pets, you say pets. These aren't them?"

"No. He has two. A cat and a dog. If we run into either, pray it's not the dog. The cat is a human gunman and he can at least be reasoned with. The dog. God I don't even know about him." Calypso shuddered at the thought. She could go her entire life and never think of that monster again.

"Ok. So I'm going to stay right with you. What I need you to do is to take me where you think they're going. Can you do that?" Deimos asks, not wanting to put her in a situation she didn't think she could Calypso didn't balk, she actually agreed.

"Good. You'd be helping a lot of people. Lead the way. I'll be in the skies behind you." He assures as Calypso suddenly began to realize the gravity of the situation. She'd only ever seen five or six of these things at a time. The fact that hundreds were currently invading the city, people would almost certainly die if they didn't do something. She calmed, deciding she had to act.

Deimos's wings spread as he leaps, wings beating down twice harshly, generating a wind that blew Calypso's hair around. She takes a deep breath before reaching to her back for a her bow and an arrow. It all begins with one step.

She bolts, feet hitting cement and the second she cleared the ally, she heard the tell-tale snarl of her pursuers. Survival instinct hit her. Deimos hadn't struck them down yet, so she'd have to. Deimos on the other hand was about to let her sweat it for a while. He wanted to see exactly how she'd adapt. And adapt she did, Calypso whirled around launching one of her hand made arrows right into the vitals to stop it dead in it's tracks then checked another with her bow before taking off once again as to not get caught flat footed and in a bind. Once Calypso was stuck in one spot she was vulnerable and she knew this.

She would knock arrows while running at a decent pace, fast enough to focus on her direction control but fast enough not to get caught out. She notices a few more ahead of her, simultaneously she positions three arrows at her bowstring, vaulting forward, launching three into the beasts. The fell to the ground but were followed by more before Calypso could retrieve more arrows.

Deimos, while impressed, still felt the need to help her out. One more harsh wingbeat sent him trailing after her. Daytime was a bit of a strain on his magic style of choice, but lunar magic would still work during the day. He was scan the area around Calypso and upon seeing a reject He'd launch a concentrated blast of lunar light, scorching the beast from the face of the earth in a god-like smiting nature. The first shimmering explosion caught the fawn off guard but upon looking to the skies she realized she'd be fine. She was in good hands.

XXXX

Chaos had ensued with Will, Jason and Rai. They'd gotten a bit busy with exterminating Star City's pest problem. The bodies were really beginning to pile up. Jason had taken to the fire escape, picking off rejects left and right, arrows striking true the vast majority of the time. He pulls back the draw on his bow, three arrows loaded at once, launching to strike two in the same plane of fire. The third was just for extra measure. Arrows were no object. They were on his turf and he had arsenals stored all over the city.

Will had gotten struck across the face, but he was just fine. Currently he had his icy sword and shield glimmering in the morning light. Early morning air was so easy to extract the water from thus he had the upper hand. His shield was just as much a work of art as it was a weapon, ornate with multiple embellishments including his horned skull logo that had been spray painted into his hoodie. The shape was convected out to guide blows down the side curvature of it, and away from sword was thin and relatively light. Will used to make just the usual spartan short sword, but later he began to realize he was wasting water, which only added weight, that he could use on his shield. He didn't need his sword to be solid, if it broke he could reforge it. If his shield broke he could get struck with a fatal strike. No his sword was thin and narrow, yet wickedly sharp. Well sharp enough to gut these lab-rejects with little to no effort.

"Jesus fuck they just keep coming." Will groans.

Rai slashed through another reject before replying. "I think we're almost through. Can't be too many more."

She wasn't wrong. The flow of beasts coming their way had slowed to a steady trickle, and eventually ceased leaving the body count in the lower eighties. It was enough to grant the team a well deserved break and time for Will to wipe the blood from his cheek.

"Fuckers have some nasty claws." The amazonian groans, finding the nearest reflective surface to inspect the damage to his face. Luckily it was just scratched enough to bleed but not enough to be concerning.

"What are we even going to call these things? I mean 'fuckers' fits very well." Jason hops down from his perch on the fire escape before thinking some more on the subject of naming these strange beasts.

"Never mind what they're called. We've just got to kill them all and stop them from killing people." Rai interrupts, moving to walk toward the pile of ash where her horse had descended back into the rift. She digs a bit in the smoking pile to find the glass figure of Grimorah from before. The figure was just a convenient marker for where Grimorah should appear in the mortal realm. It was by no means necessary for the mount to breach this world, it was just a beacon for him to find.

Rai was about to walk back to the group but her boot snagged on some object on the ground causing her to trip. Will and Jason just looked at each other. Sure they'd only known Rai for a week or so, but none of them had ever even seen a slight falter in her steps. It just seemed strange for her to act like a living human, but that wasn't the strangest bit.

"You do know there's dead bodies literally everywhere,right?" Will mentions, finding it odd she hadn't seen the woman she tripped on.

"Without their souls they become hard for me to differentiate from the ground." She defends bluntly, this time scanning the ground before she took a step. "Inanimate objects pose a bit of a problem for me. Hell we're screwed if we have to go against zombies. Well real ones."

Jason shuddered. Zombie apocalypse had always been a bit of a cringe point for him. The idea of the walking dead was just repulsive as he imagined the smell. Not to mention how horrible it must be to never see an animated rotten corpse stumbling toward you. Luckily he was able to hold back the urge to gag at the thought. "Yuck. Lets just focus on these things and pray zombies don't happen."

The hair on the back of Jason's neck rose as a horrid snarl pierced the air, like nothing they'd ever heard. Will heard it too and immediately raised his shield. But, for Rai, it was too late.


	16. requiem of fear

Calypso had taken down at least a dozen escaped experiments, Deimos even more so. She had to find where these monsters were headed. Any place young targets would be available in mass. Her mind immediately shot to schools, parks, and daycares.

"Deimos!" She calls hoping to ask for directions. The half dragon did descend from the clouds but quickly extended his wings as not to actually land. Rather he keeps up steady downbeats to keep himself close enough to talk but in a position he could gain altitude quickly.

"Hm?" Was all he said, his eyes still scanning to ensure they didn't get ambushed. Calypso herself stalled, intimidated by the sudden shift in his personality. Seemed he'd gotten a bit cold. But, it was Deimos, so she did eventually speak up.

"What alls around here were kid usually go?" She asks, playing with her white ringlets to cope with the nerves.

It took a couple minutes of thinking on the dragon-child's end. But he did eventually recall the map. "There's a preschool about three blocks west, why?"

Chills went up Calypso's spine. The idea of Crowley getting his hands on a whole new batch of children to experiment on broke her heart. She couldn't allow it. As terrified as she was, she'd have to stop others from ending up like her. "Let's start there."

Once more the pair was off, Calypso opting to go the most back alley way possible. Luckily she didn't run into many more of the rejected monsters, but she did eliminate the one she ran into impressively. Enough to give Deimos a bit of hope she might stick around.

The school was another story. This was absolutely nightmarish. The doors had been barred but the distorted figures were about to get it open. No doubt the children were probably hidden away inside and the adults were desperately trying to keep the hoards out. Hundreds of monsters slamming the doors, breaking the windows and dragging people out. She laid low, still not quite seeing what she was looking for. The creatures were bad, yes, but what she was looking for would spell absolute disaster for those she was trying to help and herself.

And then it drives into view. A large armored van swerved around the corner, parking itself in the schoolyard as helmeted men moved around back to open the back doors. That was the target Calypso wanted to take out first to ensure they wouldn't be hauled off.

"Deimos! The van." She calls, drawing his attention to it. He could definitely get rid of that.

Deimos sucks in a breath, magic seal spreading about behind him as he assumed position to blast a torrent of fire at the vehicle, incinerating it in dragon's fire. The gas tank ignites resulting in an even bigger blast, catching the hoard's attention from the sudden surge of scorching heat. They seemed to collectively shudder and rush the van a few burning alive before they appeared to realize the heat was fire and should be avoided.

"They're attracted to heat…" Deimos notes to himself. It made sense, they had no eyes, so no sight. They had to hunt somehow. They'd just proved they were sensitive to heat, and they seemed able to hear and smell. Calypso suddenly bolts, revealing herself, running head first into the danger.

Her pair of axes wielded in both hands as she slammed one home into the back of a shrieking skull. Then across another's back. Some moved away but none engaged her, as they were fascinated by the flames.

Deimos's hands light up bright azure, launching orbs toward the scattering groups, managing to mow down three of four at a time but he did keep his eye on how they reacted to Calypso's ambush. The carnage itself was loud, the smell of burning gas clouded his senses and it was blazing hot. Their senses must be overloaded. They couldn't see, hear or smell Calypso coming! It was brilliant! Why hadn't Deimos thought of it himself.

The fawn was panicked, but her fear drove her further, hacking apart beasts and launching arrows into the ones she couldn't reach, Deimos shooting down the few she couldn't get. Calypso was almost caught by one but lunged, ducking her head down, and forcing her antlers up into the creature's chin, hands catching their atrophied wrists to keep him in close. She swings her head to the side and jams both heels into his chest and forcing him down. By the end of the onslaught she was exhausted. Panting and covered in crimson blood. Deimos lands next to her, a bit winded himself but their job wasn't done. She steps forward to the doors of the school but suddenly falters. She was exhausted, her legs just gave out. The half- dragon quickly gives himself to be leaned on.

"Come on. You did good." Deimos hums, moving down to pick her up. Sure Deimos wasn't incredibly strong, but Calypso was light easy to carry. She was even too tired to fight him. Calypso hated being carried with a passion, but she'd deal with it for now. He carries her into the school but quickly sets up three floating orbs of light, not only to illuminate the darkened corridors but the protect himself should one or two mutants still be left behind. Crystal eyes scanned constantly, searching for children, monsters or even just regular people. He could hear shivering breath from the main office, smell the sweat of fearful children and even more fearful adults. He knocks on the door. "Justice League, anyone available?" He asks, setting Calypso back on her feet as she'd gained the strength to stand once more. It took a full minute before the door was finally unbarred and opened to a terrified group of teachers and students.

"Oh thank god." An elderly man whimpers, moving to throw his arms around Deimos. He was pale with worry but the color seemed to be coming back to his face in pure relief.


	17. Devil's advocate

Blood was all the horseman could smell. Her ears were still ringing from the attack but she almost swore she was still being moved. Her dazed state was beginning to clear as she realized the severity of the damage to her body. Her spine was exposed, a few ribs too and she swore some things were missing…

"Jesus fuck…" Will breathed before finally snapping out of his shock.

A much larger beast that wore a human skin stared back at them, holding a rather large piece of Rai's flesh between his claws. He looked like a man for the most part yet between the shredded pieces of skin were mechanical valves, hinges and metal pieces. His hair was snow white and eyes a glassy blue but he still looked like the perfect beast. His feet in particular, they were inverted like the hind legs of a mechanical dog, claws digging into what was left of Rai's shredded back. His teeth were sharp and metallic as the skin tore around his face to allow his jaw hinge to drop deeper, but the ribbons of skin left were stained crimson. In his left hand he carried a crowbar that seemed rather well used, stained crimson with multiple dents up the shaft. The instrument clattered to the ground with a metallic skimmer.

Jason nocks an arrow, blinded by his rage and fires, just trying to get him off his friend. The arrow shrieked as it hit the monster, not even piercing skin deep and falling flat on the ground. All it served as was a joke to the beast.

"That's it? Really?" The metallic man laughs in his gruff and gravelly voice. "I've eaten mice that put up more of a fight."

He steps off Rai, lingering ever-so closer to the two men. Rai's eyes stared straight forward, as if she were dead… which began to concern her teammates. They'd only ever seen her willingly 'die' they hadn't seen her shredded and laid out in the streets before. Luckily, Will's keen eyes noticed Rai's flesh attempting to restitch itself, one strand at a time. At this rate, it'd take forever.

This was all the distraction the animatronic demon needed. He lunged, clearing the small space in an instant, claws meeting Will's shield with enough force to knock it from him. It clattered to the ground, massive divots etched in the ice from the cutting edges. Will hadn't expected the blow to be that heavy, he lifts his sword but quickly finds it shattered into powdered ice shards by the side of it's fist. Will was two weapons down with one left to fall back on, with no space between him and his attacker to move.

He didn't even have time to reach for it as he had to quickly jump back to avoid the jaws of the beast, snapping shut inches from his face. This fight was getting hairy and Will was running out of ways not to die.

Jason had meanwhile been searching his quiver for anything useful. He had to have something. He found one arrow that might help. A impact-triggered tannerite arrow. He knocks it, aiming carefully but realizes he can't hit the assailant without risking hitting Will.

"Will-"

"Got it." Will finishes, realizing what Jason needed him to do. Mist builds around the pair as the water in the air condenses but this didn't stop the onslaught on the half-blood. He couldn't keep dodging the swipes the animatronic kept taking and wound up taking one in the shoulder. He screams, feeling tendons and muscle separate from bone. Blood welled and hit the ground in heaps but he managed to get enough focus to tighten the water in the air down and freeze it into a wall before him, catching the attacking beast's arm as the ice-wielder backed away, holding his limp hand.

Jason shoots, hitting the beast square between the shoulderblades resulting in a horrid screech. The blast had blown the skin off his bad, exposing wires, a metal skeleton and a sweet smelling, blood-like substance washing over the many moving pieces. Fire engulfed him for a short time but it was quickly extinguished.

Jerking his arm back the wounded beast was infuriated, he shakes the powdered snow from his claws, eyes focusing on the offending archer. Will just held his bleeding shoulder, stepping back. "You got any more of those?" Will asks.

"Nope… fresh out." Jason gulps, realizing that he had fully expected that last arrow to kill their assailant. He didn't think much past that. Will reaches behind himself to his belt, fire seemed to do something by singing back his skin.

Will winces, his right hand was useless for the gouging to his shoulder and he had little ability with his left hand, but he hoped just one touch of a flame would be all it took. He held what looked like a narrow silver canister, a switch at the base that had to be flipped with Will's little finger rather than his usual thumb. A line of shimmering flame blazes from the open end as he flicks it outwards to get it away from him and Jason. With one snap, the blazing whip cracks, striking the beast in the side of the face.

He screams as the synthetic skin singed away, exposing more wires. The beast shakes his head, skin at his temples tearing and his cheekbones seemed to flatten down. Metallic horns spring into place and his exposed spine seemed to shift downward, resulting in a razor-wire like tail to whip around behind the nightmarish monster.

Another crack of the whip landed sloppily on the attacker's chest, singing the skin but a clawed hand gripped the whip, suddenly yanking Will forward and off balance. He didn't even have time to right himself before the distance between the pair was closed. Jason tried launching a few more regular arrows in vain. But it did nothing to stop the advancement or even slow him down.

This was it. Will was certain this was where he was going to die.

The haunting sound of a guillotine echos and the morning sun flashed in the reflective metal of a scythe swinging into the beast, intercepting him. He was sideswiped by a heavy impact to the side, forcing him ten feet sideways and through the nearest brick wall. Rai had gotten up, wounds on her back minimally laced together just to the point that bones were no longer exposed and she had built up the strength to force the predator away from her teammates. She snarls like the wicked beast she was, staring down where she'd launched him. Her hair flutters about in the smoky haze. The wrathful ghost's scythes seemed to radiate a silvery wind off them, ready for the reaping. The pressure in the area seemed to grow thicker, ominously radiating the demon's rage.

"Get out of here." She hums, giving her teammates time to leave before the monster came whirling back at her, metallic teeth glimmering and gears straining as his jaws unhinge to sizes that could engulf a human skull. It was a wild animalistic charge, gaping maw first. She saw this one coming and swings are scythe, blunt edge hitting his side with a sickening crack that sounded like a ringing gunshot, forcing him into the air again but his hand caught the ground, claws digging into the earth and sliding back a few feet, using the opportunity to attempt to run Rai down.

Taking Rai on head first was a ballsy move she was about to make him pay very dearly for. The air seemed to condense, but Will had nothing to do with it. It wasn't even water vapor, but the area just suddenly felt heavy, shadows building up around her feet and melting into a rotating circle around her feet. With the metallic beast closing in she suddenly leaps, scythes meeting into one hand and melding into one, larger scythe. Its shaft looked to be wooden and brittle, as if from a dead oak and the blade was a glimmering silvery white with a blackened edge. She let gravity take hold on her, swinging down hard and spearing the blade through the unsuspecting creature's back, sending sparks flying. He screams, desperately trying to remove the blade but the horseman had landed behind him, calmly extending her hand. The scythe's blade splits and one return to her hand, shredding through the metal on the left side of his spine and out below his rib cage. He turns just in time to see the devil advancing closer, recalling her second blade into her other hand, ripping out the other side of his spine, leaving him perfectly flayed. He screeches as more liquid pools beneath him, flowed by sparks and wires spilling out and what might be organs. Rai had to admire the resilience, but refusing to die only made the horseman want to kill him more. She spun her scythes, holding them with the blades facing behind her for faster striking for when he came back.

Come he did, another mad dash head on. Rai bounds into him, meeting violence with malice. Scythes sweeping forward into three fell sweeps, cross every part of his body, gouging deep, exposing metal and bone. The noises he emitted were horrible. Disoriented static, human screaming and dying rage. He stood, body barely holding together as he seemed to be attempting to find an opening on the demon. He ducks his head, horns aimed right for Rai's chest. She lets one scythe clatter to the ground, sweeping upwards, throwing the beast into the air mercilessly and leaping up with him, her boot suddenly slamming into his sternum and sending him through a building with enough force to topple the wall.

That should have killed him, Rai thought. No way any creature mortal or demon could survive that. As the dust clears and the creature was gone. Retreated once he realized he was outmatched.

Will huffs, sitting back on the ground, gripping his shoulder. "Thanks Rai. Owch." Jason meanwhile pulls off his jacket folding it to press it to Will's shoulder.

"We should find Deimos to fix that." The horseman groans, just avoiding the scent of blood.

"No way. This place is crawling with experiments and we're in no condition to fight. I'm almost out of arrows, Wills hurt and your…. Um…" Jason was lost. Was Rai still hurt, or was it even possible to really hurt her?

"Yes. I'm still injured. I just need a place to rest." She answers.

"Alright. I know of a place. As I said. Home turf." Jason stands, moving to Will's left side to help him move.

"Get off me!" Will yelped, jumping back away from Jason, fury and fear blazing to life in his eyes..

Rai recognized the movement of his soul from the night before. Fear. She hadn't seen it on him up close but she could now see the damage done to his psyche. Jason had jumped at the sudden outburst and simply stared at Will in confusion as he stood.

"You got it then?" Jason asks, unsure of how to handle this situation.

"I'm fine." Will grumps, hobbling behind the group as Jason led the way down the abandoned backstreets. The weren't walking long before Jason found his way to a dead end ally and immediately began searching the bricks.

"Dead end, dumbass." Will groans.

"Not quite." The archer Rolls his eyes before finding the three bricks he needed, pushing them all down at once. A section of the wall seemed to sink inwards and drop down into a crevice in the ground revealing a hidden hallway.

"I stand corrected." Will blinks, slightly impressed with Jason's hidden toy vault. He hauls himself along behind the pair finding that the room the false wall led to was rather high-tech. Blinking lights everywhere, incredibly fancy arrows, It was a super hero's wonderland. "What the fuck, Jason."

"As I said. Rich is still a valid superpower." Jason giggles, moving to restock his quiver. He ensured to take more tannerite loaded tips in case they ran by whatever that thing was again. "Rai, please do me a favor." He suddenly chirps.

The horseman had been ironically looking for a place to settle down for a few minutes. The demon thought it amusing she was looking for a place to replied with a dull hum, cocking one eyebrow.

"Don't get near that generator. Short that out and we're stuck in here until I can get the backup one running." He mentions, nodding to a small panel in the wall. Yeah that would be rather tragic, she figured. So she maneuvered herself to be closer to the opposite wall.

With the horseman down and Jason's quiver restocked he went back to work with Will, who was refusing to cooperate.

"Dude. Just let me see it. You bleed out, and it's my fault my dad will never let me hear the end of it!" He gripes, attempting to get ever so slightly closer to Will, but he wasn't having it.

"Fuck you, man." Will shies away, holding his hurt arm.

"Really? Stop being a pussy. Off with the shirt." Jason growls, unamused.

Will just sits, staring the archer down with the fury of a recently bathed cat. "I have a healing factor. I'll be fine." He finally lied, wiping the blood from his face. Will wasn't completely lying, he had a very slight healing factor, but it wouldn't fix extensive damage this quickly. Jason of course was a bit skeptical, but if Will wouldn't let him touch him, then there was nothing he could do.

The bowman glances over to check the horseman. Slowly but surely she was healing, each shredded ribbon of muscle restitching itself one fiber at a time. She'd gotten to the point that she was just now getting skin to cover her exposed muscle. Now all they could do was wait.


	18. The Cat

Deimos had been attempting to calm the masses, meanwhile Calypso's ears twitch as she swears she heard footsteps, faint and light, barely touching the ground with any real weight. Her mind wondered into who that might be before the horrifying realization came to light.

"Deimos!"

Too late. Before she realized what was going on a sickening crack echos and Deimos drops. Calypso slams the door shut in the principal's face, coming face to face with a very familiar man in a long jacket.

The half-dragon groans, his entire left leg stung as he attempted to get back up, wing hitting the tile floor awkwardly. It took a few milliseconds for him to recognize he's actually been shot, pain coursing up his thighs as his fingers move to find the wet patch just under his buttock. This was a first, he'd never actually been shot before, or even wounded badly. It was a new experience to him which he, had he been in his right mind, would think was quite pathetic. He'd joined a team with the Justice League and he'd never even been truly hurt. No broken bones, nothing more serious than a sprain, he'd never even been severely ill.

It suddenly hit him that no one was around to protect him except himself this time.

No one but Calypso. "Eric-." She yelps, trying to get the gunman's attention. Calypso knew this man as 's house cat. He was the far less viscous counterpart to the dog, and she was slightly grateful that he'd found them instead. He might have been less vicious, but be was still deadly.

He was tall and thin with darker brunette hair. His golden eyes seemed to shine like that of a beaten feline. He looked feral and ferocious. The collar of his coat barely managed to cover the metallic gleam of something clamped around his throat. Silver pistols did catch the morning sun in the window, but it slightly trembled in his grasp. The assassin stared forward, as if contemplating delivering the killing bullet.

"Eric- please!" Calypso barked again. Tears stained her cheeks. She felt for the Eric. Whereas the dog was fully aware of what he was doing and proud of it, the cat looked hazed and tired. Her heart slammed against her ribs. It could go either way with him.

Deimos was beginning to come to his senses, staggering to get up, leaning against the door behind him to support his weight. His eyes caught the gleam of metal at the assassin's throat and began putting the pieces together.

"Come here… I can help you." Deimos eases, attempting to get closer, much to Calypso's dismay. Golden eyes stared the dragon down as if he'd lost his mind, but kept the pistol pointed to him. A voice screamed in his ear to pull the trigger, but he hardly heard it amongst his inner turmoil.

Eric glances up again, noticing Deimos just 5 feet from him as he raises the gun again, aimed between the other man's eyes. "Easy. I'm just going to get it o-"

He heard the telltale electronic beeping before Eric's body went slightly stiff,Calypso flinches recognizing the smell of burning skin but Deimos realized that was how control was kept over such a loose cannon. If he allowed him to recover, he'd probably be shot dead where he stood. He closed the gap, magic moving from the point they made contact and moving to shock again, harder and even more violently. Deimos's magic swirling through the air to jolt him with enough to possibly kill him. Deimos figured he could survive, but even if he didn't saving themselves and the people depending on them was his main concern. The assassin when stiff again before hitting the ground once his body went limp, blood trickled from the inside of his mouth from where he'd bitten his cheek. Deimos had a moment to sigh in relief, meanwhile Calypso could only watch in horror.

"What did you do?"

Deimos sighs, clenching his teeth for the pain in his thigh. He sinks down the to floor with Eric. "Had to." He moves to feel for a pulse, confirming his victim was still alive. "He'll be okay." His fingers move to check the collar around his neck, finding what looked like a small go-pro in the front and an earpiece against the shell of his ear.

"So you're just a slave too." Deimos sympathises.

"Eric isn't like the others. He's kind deep down, just made to do horrible things." Calypso scoots closer as Deimos works on the lock of the collar to get it off. It clatters to the floor once it's unclamped and the cat was now free. He noticed the singed mark over the back of his neck where the two metal prongs made contact with the skin and delivered the painful shocks, but Deimos wasn't convinced that was all this collar could do. It seemed to large to just be a control method. The full charge seemed deadly.

"We can't leave him here." Calypso asserts, noticing Deimos attempting to get back up.

"I'm not. Just trying to figure out what to do. Let me fix this here, healing myself is a bit trickier than healing others. " Deimos puts his focus into attempting to close the wound in his thigh, but it seemed impossible.

"Calypso, how strong are you?" He asks.

She panics internally, eyes Eric again. "Ah- not strong enough to carry him by myself." She gauges Eric being about 160 pounds, she couldn't carry him, drag him maybe but not carrying him.

"Okay. Stand guard. I'm going to call Jason." Deimos announces, letting himself sit back on the ground, reclining against a wall to relieve the pressure in his thigh.

/

Jason feels his back pocket vibrating and hurriedly works to free his hands, answering at only the third ring.

"Mule barn, head jackass speaking." Jason huffs

"Ha-ha, ok jackass, We're at the school. Need a bit of help. Need a first aid kit and some place to stash another person." Deimos states blankly, feeling completely exhausted, which began to alarm him. Was he bleeding out or just tired?

Calypso moved in to take a look at Deimos's wounds, realizing that it wasn't nearly as bad as it looked. An entry wound and an exit wound and she realized the trajectory put it nowhere near the bone and the deadly artery wasn't at all touched. It was just a very painful flesh wound. She began to wonder what was wrong with the gunman. The Eric she remembered used to sit on the roof with a rifle and mercily pick off undesirable experiments with clean shots, it was unlike him to miss the body all together and hit an extremity. She considered Deimos lucky, he was the only person she's ever seen survive getting shot by the cat.

"First aid kit? What happened? And another rescue? Seriously. Batman's going to kill you." The archer chastises, finishing up his work.

"I got shot. And we can't leave him. He doesn't have to join us, we just have to get him out of here." Deimos hisses in pain as Calypso suddenly pinched down on his leg. "And he may have some information."

"Shot? Where? How bad." Jason panicked. Two people down was bad, someone possibly dying was not an option.

"Left thigh. I don't think I'm dying."

"You're not. No bone damage, no bad bleeding." Calypso assures.

"Ok, good, not dying. Just hurts."

"Okay. We're on our way. I'll probably bring a car or something." Jason moves to a locked implanted into the wall, inputting a code and receiving a nice set of keys.

"Road trip?" Will asks jovially.

"Pretty much, but I'm driving." Jason tosses the keys in the air for a second before glancing to the horseman who'd just finished reconstructing her demolished back. "You got shotgun?"

"Absolutely not. I'll take my horse." Rai asserts, getting up and smoothing out her flowing cloth at her waist.

"The car would be quicker. Just come with u-."

"I said no." Rai sternly asserts.

And that was that. Jason swore he could feel his sanity slipping away. He liked to think he was a very patient man, but this was getting excessive. One person refused to be touched and the other refused to cooperate. He was on the verge of a very angry explosion. He takes a deep breath, screams internally, then simply turns.

"Will you have shot gun. I'll meet you… whenever." Jason blankly states, heading out into the garage, a slight twinge of malice toward the horseman that did not go it did go uncommented upon.

She moved back the way from which she came and into the open, letting Jason and Will take the car.

"Damn. That how you talk to girls you find hot?" Will smirks.

"That's how I talk to girls who are being uncooperative." Jason grumbles, angrily jamming the keys into the ignition of the emerald car they'd gotten into.

"Gonna ignore how rapey that sounds, but seriously. She's dead. You'd think you'd be fearless if you were dead." Will retorts, beginning to really think about it. Rai did avoid the zeta tubes at any and all cost, refused to get in his truck and now refused to get in Jason's car. He was beginning to sense a pattern.

"I know, right? It's ridiculous. And you have no room to fucking talk. What the hell was that little outburst a while ago?" Jason growls, struggling to keep his building irritation contained. Will was silent, decided not to bring that up. Jason was walking a narrow line.. Almost as if he forgot exactly who was in the car with him.

"All I'm saying is not all of us can just get in a car. I don't think Rai means to be a pain by refusing small areas."

The rest of the ride was relatively silent.


	19. Stray Animals

Rai on the other hand, had just left the conversation behind her, Jason didn't understand and probably never would, so she didn't expect him to be kind about her inconvenience. She lets the glass figurine drop to the ground, sending a beacon out into the rift and calling forward Grimorah, screaming from the abyss. He stomps a hoof to the ground, rubbing the cornet with his bony nose, while Rai mounts, throwing her leg over the armored saddle. Only she could hear what the demon horse really had to say.

Although he didn't really speak sentient words to her, she could see the hellacious visions Grimorah had. He was the true monster of the two, sick and truly the only thing that stopped him from carrying out his corrupted intentions was Rai herself and he could only come to the mortal realm by her hand. Although she did worry for a day she might meet her match and Grimorah to be set free, unbridled and raging against the human world.

She scratched that thought as quickly as it came up. That would never happen. She'd never allow it. If it came between saving herself and keeping Grimorah contained she'd have to choose the later option.

She kicks his sides, but the devil horse refuses to move, testing her resolve. He'd do this from time to time just to see if the horseman could still dominate him. And dominate she could. Their relationship was a constant push and pull, if either gave an inch, the other would take a mile, conditions were always tilted in Rai's favor as without her Grimorah couldn't jump into the mortal plane. They always pushed against each other's energy and this time Grimorah was pushing his luck. The horseman shoves back, unlovingly yanking the chain connected to the cruel bit in his mouth and jamming her heels into his sides. The horse squeals shortly before giving in and obeying.

Now they could go on their way, hooves digging into the cement as he bounds tward the school.

XXXXXXX

Jason calmly pulls into the parking lot having had enough time to cool down a bit, stepping out and almost seeming to skip about three steps and kick his boot into the skull of a dead experiment. Of course Will had gotten out just in time to see Jason's odd streak of sadistic glee.

"Um… Okay then." Will chokes, stepping around the littered corpses and eyeing the dying car fire. "Seems like they had some fun without us."

"Just making sure they're dead. Although, I am kind of surprised that goodie two-shoes and the little fairy can do all this by themselves." Jason laughs, picking up one of Calypso's arrows, noting the craftsmanship. The wood was young enough to flex with the curvature of the bow but still perfectly straight and rigid enough to hit it's mark. The tip, although it was bone, was razor sharp. "I'm kind of impressed."

"Okay, so lets head in, but… what the hell was that thing that attacked us earlier?" Will asks, really beginning to think about it. Never had he truly been hit that hard by anything living, and it did seem to have some metal gears.

"I honestly thought it was some kind of augmented animal." Jason thinks aloud, he did specifically remember seeing some kind of blood spill from it when he struck it in the back with that exploding arrow.

"Wouldn't it have died though? I mean it survives one of your arrows, being smacked down by a demon AND being torn apart by her scythes? Seems a bit overpowered for just some kind of animal." Will shakes his head, honestly hoping he never ran into that thing again.

"Well, I mean Rai can't see nonliving things right? If it was just a machine she wouldn't have seen it at all?" Jason reasons, stepping over the corpses.

"Eh, I don't think she can't see them. Still don't really understand how that works. And she didn't see him coming in the first place. Then again neither did we so. I mean. We'll figure that out later. Deimos needs us." Will finally admits mental defeat. He didn't want to have to deal with the mental gymnastics it'd take to identify that thing.

Meanwhile the pair did hear the distinct pounding of massive hooves as the horseman catches up. "Find them yet?" Rai asks, dismounting and banishing the beast back to the rift.

"No we just got here." Jason hums, venturing slightly ahead, avoiding the burning van.

"Ok, in we go then." Rai huffs, keeping a brisk pace to catch up with Will and Jason finding her way into the school. The immediate scent startled her, blood and cold sweat. She could see the mass of small, weak souls clumped up in a room nearby. Walls to her were only opaque and souls shined bright in the dimness. Therefore attempting to hide from a devil was impossible. She stalls, realizing walking right into a school full of terrified children was just tempting her nature.

She, however, still pressed forward. She was trying to fight with the Justice League, not pose even more of a public danger. She'd have to learn to cope with it. Will was following behind by a few feet, cracking his bruised knuckles before wincing at his painful shoulder. He'd gotten the bleeding to stop, but he still couldn't freely move his fingers.

"Hey, Deimos?" Jason calls, just wanting to be done with whole creepy mission.

"Over here." The dragon calls back, head resting back against the tiled wall.

The three met with Deimos, jason immediately ducking down to take a look at Deimos's wounded leg. Will on the other hand took interest in the downed cat.

"If taking in stray animals is going to become a habit, batman's going to murder you." He sighs, kneeling down to check him for any severe injury. "What happened to the back of his neck."

"I don't know what will happen with him yet. He was wearing a shock collar and a camera." Deimos abruptly yelps as Jason spilled some rubbing alcohol into his open wound.

"It's not his fault." Calypso speaks up, hoping they wouldn't give up on Eric. "He's just a slave like I was."

Will stilled. He looked cold on the outside, but he sympathized internally. Although the statement of Calypso having been a slave as well sparked a few questions. There had to be more to this story than she was letting on, but he didn't want to pry on it. He'd prefer no one pry on his issues, so he wouldn't subject her to that. "Then I guess we could shelter him for a little while."

"Rai?" Deimos suddenly speaks up. She'd been hanging back for a bit, attention averted down the hall. Although he did have her attention. He could only imagine how hard this situation was for her. Two injured people, scared children and no room to put distance between her and the temptation. "Want to go make sure there's no stragglers?I think me and Calypso got them all, but we could easily have missed a few."

Rai nods, taking that opportunity to remove herself. She'd have to remember to thank Deimos later for that. She draws her scythe, heels of her boots clicking against the floors as she descends down the hall.

"Okay. So leg's stitched. Should heal pretty fast." Jason sighs. The half dragon was about to attempt to get up before noticing Will's hurt shoulder.

"Shit, come here." Deimos calls, which gets the amazonian to come reluctantly. The half dragon's hand lays onto his split shoulder, glimmering bright blue as the fibers of his flesh begin to restitch itself.

"Thanks." Was all Will mumbled. He didn't necessarily like the fact someone was touching him, but it did feel a bit better to feel his thumb and pointer finger again. Jason was seconds away from another irritated explosion but, he'd leave it at that. No need to say anything nasty.

"I'll go work on getting the kids out." Jason stands, stretching to pop his back but going for the door, knocking.

It took a few minutes before the elderly principal answers. "I-Is it safe?"  
"For now. We're fixing to go get one of the buses, hang tight here for a bit and we'll take you to a safe point." Jason announces, momentarily wondering where the buses are. "Deimos? You good to drive?"

"I'm 15. No license." The dragon groans.

"We're justice league. Rules of the road don't apply, right?" Will laughs.

"I… I've never driven at all." Deimos admits. "I'll drive!" Calypso suddenly chirps.  
"No!" They three boys immediately shut that idea down. Calypso couldn't read. The idea of sitting her behind a wheel scared the absolute crap out of everyone. They had a mission, not a death wish. "Alright, I'll drive then. I'll be back." Will huffs, leaving to go find the buses.


	20. The Big Beautiful Thing Called a Bus

Rai's heels click down the halls, trying to keep facing away from the room full of children. She could see straight through any walls. The whole world was black and white with nearby objects showing up brighter than farther ones but all were opaque. Souls took priority so there was no hiding from her. Although she did run upon another human soul.

An experiment, wounded but attempting to crawl away. Yes, they still had souls, their bodies were just so twisted and corrupted they were trapped in a decaying body. Her nature quivers in restraint. It turned, hissing at the horseman, attempting to look threatening but she just stood. Debating.

So weak and so vulnerable. It would have no life past this. Death was coming for it, and even if it did live, it was so contorted it'd be miserable. Sure, Rai's killed upwards of 50 today, but she stole no souls. They all went on to whatever comes next after death, But she wasn't as tempted because she was with her teammates. They'd never know, it was weak and practically begging for the demon's attention.

The dim light from the window shimmered off her blades as the pressure suddenly seemed to increase. Rai couldn't stand it anymore. She was tired of starving herself for the collective 'good'. Did anyone ever blame the wolf for preying on the weak lamb?

For a split second she came to her senses. She was seriously about to deny this person the chance at an afterlife. She was about to snuff out it's entire existence. If she wasn't so starved for souls she might would have reconsidered. She steps forward, hand moving to the knot securing the cloth obscuring her gaze letting it fall to the ground, revealing the crystal eyes of a serpent. This was when she woke up, blinking twice, realizing what she'd just decided to do. She stalls, before reaching for her scythe and slashing downward, putting the poor demented creature out of it's misery. Blood splashed back against her cheek and just barely over her lower lip as the body fell.

She almost broke.

Rai buried the feeling of guilt before moving to find her blindfold again and retying it, tongue just sweeping across her bottom lip but she was met with a different sensation. She'd never tasted human blood before. She'd been told it was a catalyst for some types of demon's abilities, but she'd never believed it. In hell the few demons who could go from the mortal world and back would collect it and sell it as a drug, pitching it as a booster. Rai's body felt like all the nerves just flared to life at once, every sound was louder, her vision was sharper and she felt as if she could take on anything. She bites her lip before realizing it had to be true, just that miniscule amount and she could feel the demonic pressure in the room building up just due to her mere presence. No wonder demons paid insane things just for meager ounces.  
xxxx

Deimos lets his arm rest over Jason's shoulder as he helps up the wounded dragon. "Ah, here, Grab Eric f-" Before he could finish, Will had thrown him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Of course Jason had to think about that for a second before deciding to finally drop the subject of Will's weird touch issue.

"So, we go find Rai and then to the bus?" Jason rhetorically asks, just to get a consensus as Calypso just skips right past him. She decided to take it upon herself to go find the demon, careful to avoid any broken glass on her bare feet. She was sure footed, but stepping directly on glass was enough to leave some nasty gouges.

"Wait up Calypso." Deimos calls, wincing as he was forced to put even the slightest bit of weight on his bad leg. "Will go with her and find the bus. Rai should be around here somewhere." As capable of defending herself as Calypso was, Deimos didn't trust she wouldn't get into trouble by herself. She was small, already worn down and seemed a bit aloof, prime target for ambush. Will didn't even argue with that, having similar concerns to letting Calypso off by herself.

As the Amazonian walks the air condenses around him, water vapor shrouding into a thin,dewy mist around him and the general temperature in the area steeply drops. He extends his hand as the water began freezing to the hilt of another sword in his free hand while his left arm wrapped around Eric's thighs so he couldn't drop him. The icy tool hissed as the air was pushed from the latices of the frozen crystals, strengthening the weapon, but also making it much heavier. Wills sword alone weighed 16 pounds. It were intricately designed and once Will shook off the extra slush build on the glassy surface, it shined like bright, clear quartz.

"Hey, where do you think she went?" Will gruffs as Calypso tip-toes along. She thinks for a moment, glancing down the darkened hallway, ears twitching and rotating in different directions like furry radars.

"I think I hear something that way? Could just be something else. Then again she is pretty q-" Calypso jumps as she caught air whistling past a blade from down the hall. Definitely Rai's scythe. "Found her." She mewls. If she were honest, Rai unsettled the little fawn. Calypso knew she had no reason to fear the horseman, she was her friend and even tried to help her with her magic, she just couldn't help it. It might have been the scythes that did it, or the whole 'ghostly thing'.

Calypso went to just walk down the hallway, of course this meant Will had to hurry up to keep up with her. He noticed her ears constantly rotating, listening in all different directions, perhaps she wasn't as aloof as he'd first perceived. She seemed to constantly be listening to far more that Will ever had at a time, filtering through information and mapping the place through sound, any creak of the walls or drip of water from the ceiling earned an ear twitch or even a full rotation.

"Rai?" Calypso called, soft voice echoing off the walls, rattling the horseman out of her daze. She shoved away her thoughts on the consumption of human blood for later and turned to go find Calypso.

"This hall's cleared." The horseman called back, heels clicking against the tile as she rounds the corner to find Will and Calypso. "What's our plan?" She asks.

"Finding a bus and taking everyone to a safehouse. Then getting this guy back to base and try to wake him up." Will shrugs, eyeing the pair of glass doors at the end of the hall.

"Alright. I'll tail you to make sure the monsters leave you alone." Rai asserts. Will actually thought that was a good idea, he never thought about having someone outside to clear the route. Calypso pushed the door open to the backlot, eyes finding an enormous yellow bus. 'How funny', she thought. She always associated the color yellow with happiness and sunshine, so this wonderful thing called a 'school bus' must have been the most marvelous thing in the world. Of course this all changed the second she stepped onto it and actually smelt what the inside of a bus smelt like. How was a smell she remembered as some big smelly man… or feet. Bleh.

She plops herself down in a bench, hand attempting to block her nose from that horrible stench! How could something that looked so happy, smell so horrid. Will took it all in stride, taking a minute to remember all the elementary school shenanigans he pulled. He briefly remembered being an absolute terror for most teachers to deal with. He settles down in the seat, leaning down to begin working on the wires.

"What'cha doin?" Calypso asked, looking of the amazon's shoulder.

"Hotwiring a bus. What're you doing?" Will answers patiently.

"Wondering why we have to hot wire a perfectly good bus. There's just a button to push, right?" Calypso was eyeing all the buttons, levers and gauges on the dash. It all looked so confusing yet so interesting. She reaches over poking one button with what she recognized as a sideways mushroom, and was disappointed when no mushroom appeared. Will sighs, thanking christ he hadn't just let Calypso drive and moves to turn now on the headlights off.

"We have no keys. I have to make it turn on. Careful pushing buttons like makes stuff explode."

And with that Calypso kept her hands to herself and sits back down as the bus starts and Will shifts the gears and the bus rolls forward.


	21. Et tu Brute?

Grimmorah's hooves hit the ground in a rhythmic trot, in almost a hypnotizing rocking forward then rocking back, luling his rider into a sense of dazed thought. Her daze was broken at a flash of silver out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw something. She inched to investigate but was stopped by a cheery shout in her direction. Jason and Deimos had just finished loading the bus and that seemed to be the signal they were about to leave.

She decides to ignore it, no one would be dumb enough to attack a demon with backup.

The rest of the trip went rather uneventfully, kids got unloaded safely and the team found themselves back at the base with an unconscious cat and a rather irritated batman.

"Deimos… is this going to be a habit?" The batman grumbles, monitoring Eric's vitals.  
"I couldn't leave him to get forced back into that lab. Not after my mother fought to get out of there." The half dragon explains, praying batman would understand.  
"It's alright. Your intentions are in the right place." Bruce assures as Calypso kept her distance.

Jason on the other hand was in another room with Rai, watching the television. Seemed the couch was just far away from the television so Rai wouldn't disrupt it. Of course it was the news, going over how great the Justice League was and all. Jason just rolled his eyes.

"We're chopped liver." He laughs.

Rai's eyebrow lifts behind the blindfold. "I was unaware recognition mattered."  
This caught Jason a bit off guard but he submitted. "Guess you're right. Doesn't matter but it is appreciated." He settles.

Rai smiles lightly, she guessed that would do. "So… I'm assuming you started archery young?"The devil inquires, deciding that some conversation would be nice.

"I learned to shoot before I learned to walk." Jason laughs, picking up his bow off the ground. "Dad didn't really want me to get this good, but I have a habit of doing the opposite of what people want."

The devil woman snorts, head shaking in minor amusement. "Your father seems…"  
"Over protective?"

"I was going to say doting, but that seems fitting as well." Rai hums.

"He's been that way for a while. Mom as well but not near as much." Jason shakes his head, he didn't get too much of a childhood.

"Any reason why?" Rai suddenly asks, catching Jason slightly off guard, but he figured this was an acceptable question.

"I'm kind of considered Ollie and Dyna's miracle baby. I was born almost two months premature and they thought I was going to die young for the first two years of my life." Jason explains. Both his parents have worked so hard to keep him healthy, sometimes even smothering him with their affections. "I was weak the majority of my childhood."

Rai nods, beginning to understand the situation a bit more. "But you seem fine now."  
"I-I am!" Jason quickly defends. "Perfectly fine. I just have trouble convincing them of that." The archer's posture had shifted to be much more rigid and almost defensive. Luckily the two calmed in a moment's silence.

"So… you had parents?" Jason asks, deciding to approach that gently.  
"I did." Rai nods, working her way back through her memories. "I just have trouble recalling a lot of information from life." She could vaguely remember hugging a red headed woman, perhaps that was mother? That had to suck, In Jason's mind that sounded like the definition of hell.

"I'm sorry about that. Is there anything you do remember?"  
"About my parents?"  
"About anything. Life in general?"  
Rai's mind immediately flashed to the end. "Death…" Her jaw clenches as Jason decided to back off of her, but to his surprize she continues. "I was driving somewhere, I can't really remember. I remember going through a green light and feeling an impact. The car caught on fire." Rai cringes, still remembering the smell. "Last thing I can remember is the paramedics dragging me out and throwing that white blanket over me."

Jason blinks, having no idea what to actually say. The whole experience sounded horrible, and then he remembers the fight about getting in the car. Guilt hit him, no wonder she refused enclosed areas. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you."

Rai shrugs, laying back. "It's alright. Life goes on."

This struck Jason as a bit odd. He never expected a demon to be an optimist. If he had to put a personality to a demon he would have thought dark, brooding and grumpy… Instead that was Will. Their attention suddenly perked to the television, Godfrey as usual but the picture in the corner caught Jason's attention. "Oh no." A picture of Rai and Grimmorah had surfaced and of course Godfrey was going to use it to his advantage in any way to bash on the justice league.

"So they great Justice League is so desperate to fraternize with demons? Of course we're going to get a monster infestation. " Godfrey rants, bringing a rather frustrated scowl to Rai's face. "I blame the Justice League for this! Just look at the similarities." The screen shifts showing a side-by-side of Grimorrah and one of the escaped experiments, comparing the sickly grey skintone. Rai suddenly gets up but Jason quickly reaches out and grabs her hand.

"Wait. That's not your fault. That's just Godfrey." The archer quickly defends, hoping she wasn't too upset. He was actually enjoying her company. Of course Will was in the kitchen the whole time, brewing himself some coffee and had heard everything, rage consuming him at the sudden accusation that they were responsible for the entire mess.

"What the actual fuck!" Will growls, setting down his cup. "Look, anything we could have done, that asshole was still going to exploit it."

Rai sighs, remembering that silvery flash she saw earlier. That had to have been when that picture was snapped. She was brought out of her own mind by Jason's warm hand. She almost forgot that humans were supposed to be warm. "I'm not angry. Just concerned."

"About?" Jason lets go of Rai's hand now that she didn't seem to be leaving. His elbows settle on his knees in pure thought.  
"It's not your problem to worry about. It's mine." Rai groans, not really looking forward to what Godfrey may have just unknowingly done.

Will bites his lower lip in slight agitation. "Rai, you won't have to handle it alone. Just tell us what's wrong."

Rai sits again, putting up her human disguise. "There are some humans who are very against demons and think we should be exterminated from the earth. Usually they're what you describe as 'religious extremists'. They don't care about our intentions, and they've invented ways to hunt down demons. Now that it's public knowledge you're harboring a demon, getting them to leave us alone is going to be a nightmare." Rai cringed at the thought of all these armed humans trying to take her down. Some of them weren't so bad, other were trained, deadly and malicious.

"Well. If they're after you then they've got to deal with us." Will states point blank. They were a team after all. Enemies of a friend were still enemies.

"And even if they manage to handle us, The league themselves wouldn't tolerate anyone actively hunting you." Jason assures, even though he had slight doubts about that.

"Right." Rai settles, deciding to not go into much detail, only to be startled up again by a sudden yelp from the infirmary.


	22. Crowley and Shrapnel

"Ah, the cat must be awake." Jason groans, standing to go check it out. He was greeted with one hell of a sight. Batman himself working to overpower Eric whilst Calypso was doing her best to convince him he was safe. What a nightmare, luckily the panic was short-lived. Calypso was bringing him back to reality.

Deimos had just gotten his wounds under control and hadn't yet managed to get up off the table on onto his new set of crutches, but was coming around once Eric wasn't trying to kill everyone.

"Eric? You good now?" The little fawn asks, her voice so quiet he had to actually pay attention to hear her.  
"Yeah- um. Sorry-I-" The assassin was flustered as she sat up, thanks to Batman letting go of his wrists.

"It's alright." Batman assures, pulling himself up a chair. "But we do need to ask a few things of you."  
Eric flinches at the tone, but Calypso's soft hand on his shoulder treasures the cat, amber eyes falling upon the cowled man.

"Right. Um." He still remained rather quiet, eyes darting from Calypso, to batman, then to Deimos.  
"This isn't an interrogation, Eric." Deimos assures, sensing the man's nervousness. "We just need a bit of insight into what we're dealing with."  
The cat tugs at the sleeves of his jacket before looking back at Deimos. "Can I leave afterwards?"  
The three youngest stayed quiet, Deimos looking to batman for an answer, to which he was met with silence. The batman shifts before sighing.

"Yes."

Eric shifts, seeming slightly more comfortable with being free to leave once he settles, slouching back against the bed. "Alright, what do you want to know?"

"Why we're those monsters sent out? And what the hell were they?!" Deimos asked, a bit desperate to know.  
"Mangles. Or at least that what I call them." Eric shuddered. "Those came from Dr. Crowley's gene splicing experiment. He basically made cells not die and sluff off but rather callous over and rot."

So that was why they stunk. Calypso shakes her head, now that she had a name to call them, 'mangles' just seemed too fitting. "But why does Crowley want more children?" She groans.

"I have no idea. I wasn't told why, I was just told to kill anyone who interfered." Eric blinks, "By the way, where are my guns?"

"You'll get them back when you leave. You'll be staying in a hotel in Gotham until you can get a place on your own." Batman gruffs, moving back to prod at Eric's mind some more. "You and Calypso keep mentioning someone named Crowley."

"Mad man, absolute mad man. All I know is he's a geneticist, bio-technologist and has zero care for anyone but himself." Eric recalls, His hand finds it's way to his throat to revel in the fact he no longer wore a collar.  
"Or maybe his dog." Calypso adds.

"Dog?" Jason asks, leaning against Eric's bedside.

"Shrapnel." Eric answers. "Main assistant to the scientist and is considered his 'masterpiece'. Got his name because he's like holding onto a unpinned grenade."

Jason suddenly was intrigued. Whatever attacked them wasn't a mangle, and what tore Rai apart was definitely chaotic enough to be in 'grenade-category' chaos. "Is Shrapnel an animatatronic of some kind?" He asks, trying to keep his questions general as to prompt as much information from the traumatized assassin as possible.

"I honestly don't know. I mean he bleeds, but I've definitely seen some gears. Fucking lunatic is what he is! Used experiments go into his room and come back out as stripped bones. Sometimes he drags his crowbar across the cages just to be an ass."

That seals it, Jason could distinctly remember that crowbar clattering to the ground with all the bone hunks lodged in it's crevice. "That's the thing that ambushed us!" Jason groans in utter disbelief. "Fucker shredded Will, made me look like an idiot and took out our tank in one go."

Deimos raises an eyebrow, completely unaware of that entire situation, part of him didn't even want to know.

"Yeah, he has a thing for human flesh. I've seen him reduce full grown men into bones in under ten minutes. If you ever encounter him, just beware silence. He's an ambush killer, and will leap on whoever's paying the least attention." Eric could still hear some of the horrific screeches that abomination was capable of.

"How do we kill it?" Batman abruptly asks.  
"You don't. Nothing kills him as far as I've seen. I've seen a huge reptile demolish him to blood and bolts and he still pulled himself back together. Although he is oddly easy to deter. Make yourself a difficult kill he has to work for and he'll likely leave you alone if he sustains enough damage."

Batman huffs, finding the answer useless. Although Deimos found the description disturbingly familiar. He buried the thought, past was in the past, wouldn't help him here.

"Can I leave now?" Eric asks, suddenly retracting. Bruce was silent for a second or two before realizing he wasn't going to get anything more out of Eric yet.

"Wait. Maybe you could join us? I mean we'd be working to put Dr. Crowley in jail for a very long time." Deimos explains, thinking perhaps having Eric on their team would help them.

"I- no. I'm sorry but if you're going near that lab, I'm not going." Eric suddenly defends. He seemed pretty set in his decision."I can't go back."

"Alright. You can go home now. Get some rest and you can move out whenever you find permanent housing." Bruce offers, getting up to take Eric to his new home.

This of course left Jason, Deimos and Calypso in silence for a few minutes. "So… mad scientist?" Jason suddenly speaks up, hating the akward silence.

"Never in my life did I think I'd go back." The fawn quietly chirps, fear beginning to wreak her bones. "You're going back as a liberator, not a prisoner this time."Deimos assures, hand moving to settle on her shoulder as a gentle reminder she'd never be experimented on again. He suddenly falters, catching himself on his left crutch, groaning as he'd set his bad leg down.

"You should probably go sit down." Jason insists, nodding into the living room for Deimos to relax on the couch. "I'll order a pizza. Any preferences?"

"I need some of it to be just cheese." Deimos calls as he heads over to the living room. The archer takes that into consideration before glancing to Calypso as she just shrugs.  
"Never had pizza."  
"You haven't lived. " The archer laughs as he begins fiddling with his phone.


	23. Man is a Prideful Creature

Rai and Will had been left on the couch, Rai's mind tracing through all her actions for the day. Had she truly acted like a demon? She did damn near steal a soul, and those weird creatures were technically human. What would she have to do to earn the public's trust now that Godfrey had just slammed her on live television?

"Can we change the channel? I'm tired of listening to this son of a bitch babble." Will abruptly asks as he takes the remote to channel surf for a bit.  
"Hey guys, couch party?" Deimos asks as he hobbles his way to the couch, plopping down and setting his foot up on the coffee table.

"Eh, nothing good on TV." Will complains, tossing the remote onto the table after settling on cartoons.  
"Not even the news? I'd have thought we'd at least make late night news."Deimos shrugs, checking his phone and realizing it was only 8 o'clock… aaand his parents had been texting him non-stop and were apparently on their way. "Ah-hell. My parents are coming."

Will blinks before remembering Deimos was still considered a child, even if he looked like an adult. "Anything need to be done?"

"Nah… just be prepared for a panic when they see this." He motions to his bandaged leg. "And be prepared for smothering and melodrama." He loved Grace and Tim, but by god they could be a bit much sometimes. Any paper cut and they reacted as if Deimos had cut off his hand. They truly treated Deimos as if he were their own, coddling included. But he was still grateful for it. Not many adoptive mothers would sew a fleece and pleather blanket to mimic the feeling of a dragon's wings in order to soothe a distraught dragon-child who just missed his mother. Even fewer would be willing to teach an almost entirely mute eight-year-old how to read and speak even though not speaking was in his nature.

Rai blinked before realizing over protective parents seemed to be a reoccurring theme, her mind cutting to Will for a moment. Would Diana be over protective as well? Then again at breakfast the other day apparently the league didn't even know he existed for the longest time, so perhaps not. She pushed those thoughts aside, choosing to be blissfully ignorant.

She was about to leave as the doorbell rang, must be Deimos's parents. She decided to leave them be and go to their bookroom.

Sure enough the door buzzed open and an elderly couple enter. The woman was short with ashen white hair, her face worn with age but her eyes were still bright with life. She had almost a permanent smile and she seemed in rather good health. Tim on the other hand was tall and slender, wearing overalls and an old button up shirt. His hands were rough and calloused from a lifetime of work, but he also seemed content with life, and looked at his wife with the same look of wonder a newlywed might have.

Grace immediately went for one of her iron grip hugs on Deimos before realizing he couldn't get off the couch, then tracing down the see him bandaged up. She gasps. "What did you do!?"

The half-dragon looks sheepishly to the floor. "I found a bullet."

Grace suddenly looked ill. As if she'd faint, but Deimos managed to shamble up and onto one of his crutches. "I'll be okay. Nothing important got hit."

"Nothing important? I think a leg's pretty important." Tim groaned, although he was taking the whole situation infinitely better than Grace was.

"Alright, point made. But Batman said I'm healing much quicker than a normal human does. I should be good to put weight on it in about 5 days." Deimos smiles, trying to ease Grace's mind.

"I swear, boy you're going to put me in an early grave." Grace laments. Before looking around to the rest on the team that was present. Tim gives a small wave before Grace suddenly remembers something. "Oh- I brought cookies."

"Ohh, Deimos you should bring your mom more often." Will smiles, loving the idea of old lady cookies. Those were always the best kind. Grace digs around in her massive purse, finding a large cloth bag and setting it on the coffee table."

Calypso blinks, looking the pair over. "What's a cookie?"

Tim was confused but Grace just smiled. "Oh, Deimos, who's your friends?"

The half dragon stiffens awkwardly. "Ah, That's Jason, Will and Calypso, Rai's… where's Rai?"  
Jason awkwardly waves before realizing the demon had snuck off, he shrugs, taking two cookies and handing one to Calypso.  
"Ooooh, Is she jewish?" Grace leans in and whispers to Deimos, nodding over to Calypso.  
The dragon stiffens again, his cheeks flushing bright pink. "Mom!" Yikes, that was a bad one. His mother did this all the time, every woman who was remotely attractive, she'd try to encourage Deimos to 'go for'. She'd selected some strange things before, but this one had to take the cake. Calypso was at least 10 years older than him… maybe? The question then struck him as to exactly how old the fawn was. She looked like a young adult, but the math just didn't add up. She claims she knew his mother, and she died 7 years ago, he had to have been too young to remember calypso himself so that set it back at least 13 years older. Was Calypso the oldest of the group?

Calypso heard Grace, she was just too wrapped up in the joy that was a cookie to say anything. It was so sweet, chewy and the best thing she'd ever experienced.

XXXX

Rai reveled in the silence. She enjoyed the company of the team, but sometimes she just needed so time to herself. Her mind kept melding back to what Godfrey said. Sure demons were wrathful, and humans had every right to be weary, but did they all hate her so?

"What'cha reading?" A voice asks from the doorway, jolting her from her concentration. She turns to find the man of steel himself. She didn't expect him to drop in for a visit, much less to find her specifically.

"Oh, The Importance of Being Ernest." Rai smiles.  
"Huh, a comedy. Not something I'd expect." Superman admits.  
"Demons like to have a good laugh too." Her eyes cut up and her lip curves into somewhat of a perfect half-smile as Clarke sits in the seat across from her.

Superman sits awkwardly, realizing he'd have to approach this himself. "So… I heard Godfrey bashed on you pretty hard." He eases, looking around sheepishly, trying to figure out how exactly to talk to her.

"Yeah, He knows not what he talks about." Rai didn't even look up from her book, seems as though the fact that Godfrey was a fool was common knowledge amongst the league.

"And you're not upset?" Clarke asks, studying her face for any slight hint of emotion.

"Not necessarily. Annoyed, yes. But not terribly upset." Rai sets the book down, realizing that Superman wanted actual conversation and not just small talk. Boy did he look interesting to the demon. Kryptonian souls and human souls looked identical. Any sentient being that had a soul looked identical. What marked him as kryptonian was the auras and projections he put off. She never actually got a good look at him before. His soul didn't flit around and flicker like humans did. It was steady and calm. Kind of like the beacon of a lighthouse, truly unyielding light.

"So you are upset." Superman prys, refusing to accept ambiguous replies. She could get away with that on Jason, but seemed Clarke was harder to sway.

"I suppose I'm not entirely happy with it. But I'm not angry. Just confused." The devil admits, crossing her legs and leaning back.  
"I know. It happens to everyone. No good deed goes unpunished." Clarke explains, trying to see the world how she may see it. And so far it did not look pretty.  
"They do it to you too?" Rai asked. For all she knew about Superman, he was perfect. Everyone loved him. He was the man of steel, the ultimate ideal as to what a hero truly was. She couldn't imagine anyone having any doubts at all about Superman's intentions.

"Just about every other week." Superman smirks, shifting in his seat. "They don't understand. Sometimes it's hard for the public to accept help when they need it from people who are not like them."  
"Man is a prideful creature." Rai states blankly.

"Quite. But that is beside the point. Society has a hard time accepting what they do not understand. They bash batman on the regular, the entire league is in a constant battle with the press, they're going to slander you all they can… yet call you when they need help. Then once you help them, they'll praise you for three days, then will continue to run you through the mud."

Rai began to understand his point. Society was fickle. Choosing to accept someone only when it was convenient. Blaming Rai for the mangle outbreak was just their horrifically misguided knee jerk reaction. It was understandable, but still painful. Rai loved the mortal world, and appreciated every life. Where as other demons saw mortals as pests, wasting the earth they were given, Rai saw them as innocent creatures... Innocent creatures that hated her.

"So… they do like you? Would you even say they… love you?" The demon asks, rolling she shoulders forward to lean toward superman a bit as her voice had dropped in pitch.  
"I- Well. Humans tend to hurt those they love most."

"So there's a chance they they might soon love me too?" Rai hums, her tone droping down even more. This caught Clarke aback. A soul devouring demon who only wanted to be loved? The thought strunk him, but then he was left with the guilt of always referring to her as the soul eater.

"They will love you. It just takes time." Superman assures, leaning in and setting his hand on hers, just trying to ease her mind. So much pressure on such a young hero. Clarke had to admit, he had his doubts about Rai upon the first encounter, but seeing her both in action and in person he had a bit more confidence in her.


	24. Look within Yourself

Deimos's parents had came and left by the time the pizza arrived, the half dragon settled on staying in the base for the night, not really feeling like moving. Jason saunters in with three boxes of pizza.  
"Alright, one plain cheese, one pepperoni and one hamburger stuffed crust. Deimos? Yours was cheese, right?"

"Yeah, here." The dragon moved to attempt getting up, but Will stopped him.  
"Nah, I got it." Will hauls himself up, bringing Deimos his box of pizza. "You shouldn't get up until that mess is healed."

Calypso meanwhile was fully concentrated on the television, so much carnage in so little time. Those mangles did seem to be gone, for now…. But what of when they returned? The way she saw it they only put a lid on the problem for the mean time. Without a doubt they'd be back with more vigor than ever. She knew Crowley was not the kind to give up when met with resistance.

Every channel was now covering the news story as a breaking coverage so there was no escaping Godfrey's scathing words. Boy was he tearing Rai a new one. Every other hour he was publicly blaming her and this new team the Justice League threw together. But this wasn't her biggest concern. Rai seemed so worried about it, as if she feared something. These devil slayers sounded like the real deal, if someone like Rai was unnerved.

She was jarred from her thoughts before she could realize what she was actually seeing in this footage by a plate of pizza being set in front of her and Jason settling on the floor with her.

"Well, how's your first piece of Pizza?" He asks, nudging her shoulder.  
She blinks before remembering that this was supposed to be food. It smelt greasy and oily, but oddly good. She picks it up and takes a bite, finding the grease a bit odd in texture, and it was rather salty for her taste, but she felt she'd grow to like the taste. The fawn smiles, her ears perking.

"It's good. I like it."

"Good. Anything different on the news?" Jason asks, taking a big bite of pizza.  
"Not really. That man really scares me." Her ears dropped, Godfrey had every quality she didn't like in a person. He was loud, obnoxious and just hateful.  
"He can't hurt you. He's just a blow hard with a news channel." The archer shifts, before watching the pictures scroll by the screen.

"Yeah… I keep seeing something strange in the pictures. Sometimes there's these white blurs in some snapshots." Calypso tilts her head as some of the pictures scroll past. It wasn't every picture. It wasn't even most of them, it was perhaps every tenth picture, and they were always floating orbs in the sky.

"Eh, cameras do that." Deimos assured. "Probably just crappy equipment." He shifts looking to his watch, realizing it'd broken in the fight.

"Dammit, Will do you have the time?"

Will leans over to reach his phone."9-ish. Why?"

"Eh, not too late. Hey Calypso. Want to work on your whole magic thing?" He asks, hoping to get somewhere today since they had wasted two. They had 5 days left to impress Batman, but part of him was convinced what they'd done today drove the point that she was actually useful. On the flip side, he really wanted to see what Calypso was truly capable of. Now was as good of a time as any since Rai wasn't here to get potentially fried. And they had a perfectly good training room that hadn't been used yet. He was certain the next few days it'd get plenty of use.  
The fawn rises, moving to help Deimos up off the couch and onto his crutches.

"Don't zap anyone, ok?" Will calls.  
"No promises." She yips back, picking up her pace as the pair disappeared.

Will and Jason were left staring at the television. "We have pizza and T.v… Now all we need's a beer." Jason gruffs.  
"Eyup." Will grunts back.  
XXX Calypso's bare feet hit against the tile floor, nerves began to wind tighter as she realized she was going to have to get herself under control when it came to her magic eventually. Deimos dragged in a chair and settled himself down after having come in behind her with a rather large book.

"Alright, So think your big issue is lack of focus… or nerves. Perhaps both… nope probably both." Deimos hummed, flipping through the pages to one of the multiple sticky-note tabs he'd put in the old pages. Some of these spell books were very nice and gave instructions on how to practice good control. This was considered a 'children's spell book' meant to teach basics before massive wizardry.

"Right, I'm sorry, I'm just scared I'll hurt someone." Calypso looks to the floor. She almost fried Rai, what if she zapped Deimos too?  
"Don't you worry about that. I'm strong enough to block it if it gets out of control and this room has lead lining, you won't hurt anyone." The half dragon smiles, his wings halfway unfurling to lay across the floor on either side of him in a relaxed manner. "Now. I want you to try charging that orb up again. But this time I want you to hold it as long as you can. We need to build stamina."

Calypso sighs before realizing Deimos felt confident enough to be in the same room as that lights show again. She huffs out one last huff of air before sparks begin trailing down her antlers again, sparkling white and silver as it grew in intensity. White marks begin to flare up on her body in a duller fashion, around her naval, over her hips and across her ribs. This struck Deimos as odd, he hadn't noticed the markings before, he recognized them as runes of some kind but couldn't place their origin. The silver and gold orb formed again between her horns and the fawn seemed to panic, not really knowing where to go from here.

"Stay calm." Deimos reminds, seeing the fear in her face. "Everything's just fine." He assures trying to keep her calm. This did seem to work though, as the chaotic lashing of sparks began to calm and instead of a wad of sparking electricity the pulsating orb of power began to smooth out into a reflective mirror-like surface.

The strain was getting to the little fawn, but for once she felt in control. A smile crept to her face as she lifts her horns higher before nodding her head to the side and letting the orb slip past the outer points and float in front of her.

"Good! Very good." Deimos laughs, flipping through the book to find any description of this phenomena. He did find something under the archangel magic, something about light manipulation, but it did shock him that she seemed to be very far progressed.

"Deimos. I- can't hold it much longer." She groans, beginning to feel drained. She almost swore her back was aching. "That's alright. Just as long as you can." Deimos hums, taking mental notes as her magic seemed to get watery, the surface of the orb getting more ripply and unstable as it began to devolve into sparks again.

She falters, orb suddenly shattering and stretching arcs of energy jutting off in every direction. Deimos quickly throws a hand up, shadows jumping off the ground and into an umbrella like pattern to cancel out one of the arcs that almost struck him. "Well that was interesting." He blinks, noticing the runes on Calypso's skin beginning to fade back into their light peachy background.

"I'm so sorry! I swear I need to get that un-"  
"You kidding? You did great! Rest for a minute and lets try again. I bet by the end of the week we can have you actually aiming at targets." Deimos chirps, reading a bit further on the uses of this kind of magic.  
"Really!?" Violet eyes light up in joy as she rocks onto her toes. She thought she'd done horribly since the whole thing came crashing down yet again. "Absolutely. Let me start timing you. I think your big issue is stamina and control. Once you calmed down you could handle it." Deimos shifts his hips so he could find his phone in his back pocket, finding the stopwatch app.

"You good to go again?" Deimos asks as Calypso readies herself again.  
"Ready."  
"Alright. This time before your stop I want you to try controlling your magic. Instead of stopping all that energy abruptly, try tapering it to a stop so the arcs don't go flying anymore." The half dragon suggests, hoping to rid her of that nasty habit of letting her energy just explode. Maybe then Rai could help a bit more.

Calypso took almost another full minute to rest before taking another deep breath and starting again, horns flaring to life and another flickering orb of whirling spark formed. This one was much faster to form and smooth out than the last.

Calypso kept her breathing slow and steady, runes lighting up bright white once again as the orb moved from between her horns and out in front of her. An idea struck Calypso. If she could create one, she could damn sure create multiple. She held her focus, finding that maintaining an orb wasn't near as taxing as creating one. She strains, working on manifesting a second, much to Deimos's surprise.

He thought it ambitious of her, but he wouldn't stop her from pushing herself. At least she was no longer scared of herself. Calypso's second orb shuddered in a weak threat but smoothed out a moved to join its twin. Calypso breathes, working on now just maintaining the two. Deimos glances at his timer, a full minute had passed.

The angelic fawn snorts, from the strain but then begins to realize she'd been over exerting herself. She began to push the amount of effort back just until her constructs began to shudder and leveled off her output. This was doable. She suddenly reaches out and touches one.

They had a strange texture, almost like icy cold water and enough electricity to make her fingers tingle. They shimmered against her touch and moved with her nudge.

She felt her energy reserves begin to wane, but she didn't want to stop yet. She wanted to hold on. Her eyes met Deimos's and he checked the stopwatch.

"Three minutes." He chimes. The improvement was astounding. She'd almost quadrupled her time from last time. She was still going though, working to gently taper down as to not just let the sparks explode yet again. Ambition hit her again, there was a target painted onto the stone wall, she kind of wanted to prove she could do more than just focus. She strains before wondering how exactly to go about an actual attack with these things. They moved with her touch, but always snapped right back to their original position.

Calypso contemplated it for a second before just imagining the rotating balls of light moving slightly outward… That was it! She smiles, sending one if the mirror balls flying into the target on the wall. And missing miserably. However the sheer power it hit with shocked her, sparks flew and scorched marks into the wall.

She huffed out shocked laughter and Deimos, although shocked, was immediately impressed. They could work on her aim, but seems she had a bit more control over herself than she'd thought once she stopped being afraid of herself. Calypso had a second shot left but was struggling to keep the shimmering orb manifested. She was determined to at least hit the target this time.

She huffs, flinging the second orb into the wall, watching it shatter into scorching sparks and singing the wall. Just the edge of the blackening was touching the painted target, but she'd take it!

"Well damn!" Deimos laughs, judging the scorch marks on the wall that were at least the diameter of a basketball. That would definitely sting if it hit a person. Poor Calypso looked so winded, her legs were almost shaking but she was smiling.  
"I actually hit it!" Calypso huffs in pure joy.

"You did! You hit the crap out of it. Look at those scorch marks!" The half dragon limps toward the abused wall, running his hand over it. The hair on the back of his neck immediately stood on end from the residual energy, it was just pulsating. This just seemed like a fraction of what she could really do. Calypso plops herself onto the ground, her back suddenly aching from such great strain.

"Tired?" Deimos asks, realizing she'd all but collapsed.  
"Yeah.. but I want to keep trying." Calypso huffs, finally laying back against the tile floor.  
"I get that. But we don't want to push you too hard. You could burn out." He shrugs, she was still new to the whole magic thing, burning out was a very real possibility and once someone burned out their magic it was hard to work back up. Deimos always described it as spraining a muscle. Calypso's magic was intense but her mana was weak, it'd be incredibly easy to fizzle out early and have issues coming back from it.

"Right. Maybe a small break?" the fawn suggests, lavender eyes finding their way up to Deimos's face.

"Seconded. Besides. Leaving Will and Jason alone together for too long seems like a recipe for disaster." The half dragon jokes, urging the fawn up gently.


	25. Where Did You Go?

XXX just a heads up. We're about to get into some of the more dark parts of Will's backstory. Just a reminder this is an M rated story that touches on some very upsetting subjects. If this makes you uncomfortable, please wait until the next chapter. Will also uses some very colorful language that may offend some. XXX

Honestly Jason and Will had been bored as Will found his stash in the kitchen and decided to share.

"Million dollars but, everything you eat tastes like ass." Will suggests, head lazily rolling over as he takes a swig of his beer.

"Fuck no. I love food too much." Jason laughs, knocking back a bit of his own beer."Can't believe you managed to stash Shinner in here."

"I always stash beers where I think I'm going to be for too long." Will smirks.

There was a small silence as the football game suddenly came on. "Ah, Packers man." Jason laughs, sitting forward to play a bit more attention to the game.

"Seriously? What are we? 40?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Beer and football." Will's eyebrow crooks, tilting his bottle as he talked.  
"Well I mean, that's like the best sunday afternoon to me." Jason sits back. "Manliest too."  
"Footballs gay as shit. And that's coming from me." Will snorts, shaking his head as the screen seemed to be flashing from man to man.

This caught Jason's attention. What did he mean 'coming from me', Will was one of the manliest men he knew! He was buff, he was quick to knock teeth down someone's throat and wouldn't be pushed around. How manly is that? "What? No way! Look at those studs! Besides you're manly as fuck."

"In tights, tackling other men in tights then dancing around." Will finishes, he sets his beer down on the coffee table. "Hah! Manly. I get the white girl supreme at starbucks sprinkled with extra rainbows and I am a 'queen of the drama variety." Will accentuates with his hands in as frilly of a manner as possible.

"Whatever man. And what do you suggest is better? I swear to god if you say soccer I'm going to dropkick you." The archer scoffs.  
"Boxing. Two huge dudes duking it out. Come on. Golovkin's my shit." Will laughs as Jason just stares.

"Ok. I can't argue with you. Boxing is pretty fuckin' manly." Jason admits defeat, reaching into the box for another beer. "This should become a normal thing though. Remember playing Madden with me when we were kids?"  
"I remember kicking your teeth in at Mario Kart." Will's eyebrow raises, realizing that Jason sucked at videogames.  
"No you frikkin cheated! Princess Peach was busted as fuck." Jason groans, putting his face in his palm.  
"You hit every fucking banana."

The two laugh before silence. Will's crystal eyes scan over the archer, remembering what he looked like as a little kid. They really grew up in their time apart.  
"I loved going to your house as a kid." Will admits, crossing his legs and leaning on the arm of the couch.

"I loved having you over. Why did we stop?" The archer wonders, trying to figure out what happened.  
"Time, I guess." Will trails off, fingers tapping on the arm of the couch. He bites his lip momentarily before finding himself glancing back to Jason, who was staring at him intensely.  
"Will. That's not true. We could have hung out all through middle school and through high school." The archer prods, only hoping to get back to enjoying playing with his childhood friend.  
"I-I don't know.I just got busy I guess."

Jason wasn't quite satisfied with that answer as evidenced by the crooked eyebrow he gave Will that just screamed 'seriously'. Finally Jason broke eye contact and took another drink of his beer. "Will. I think you're hiding things."

The amazon nearly jumped out of his skin before stareing the archer down in suspicion. What was he prodding at? "Did something happen to you?" Jason finally blurts, deciding to get to the point.  
"I- um." Will looks away, not really wanting to go into this. Eyes cast away for a moment before Jason suddenly realized Will was not about to give him anything to work with. There was some reason Will kept quiet. And he'd have to respect that.  
"It's alright if you don't want to tell me.I just want to know if you're okay." The bowman settles. Will was silent for a second before looking back of Jason. He was a good man, a much better man than himself.  
"I'm… recovering." The amazon admits.  
"Good. That's all I can ask for." Jason settles, deciding to leave it alone for now.

Will was perplexed, he was certain Jason would push him harder. Most did. Perhaps one day he could tell him. But today was not that day.

"So your favorite boxer is Golovkin? Says he fights tonight." Jason nods to the ticker under the game, announcing the event.  
"Oh fuck yes! Wanna come watch at my place?" Will asks, just happy to be back to talking as if nothing happened.  
"Shit yeah!"  
XXX

"Feel better?" Clarke asks, standing as the demon did.  
"Much. Thankyou." She takes in a deep breath, suddenly appearing slightly human, usual rigid posture more relaxed, although not quite slouching yet. Her shoulders moving with each slow and steady breath. But why was she breathing? She never did, she never needed to. But here she was drawing in air needlessly. The kryptonian found it strange.

"So where do we go from here? Wait on the next assignment and dwell on all this new information?" Rai bluntly asks.

"Well. Perhaps. Honestly, I don't know what batman wants from you. This is kind of his project." Superman states honestly. "I'm all for the hands off approach but I have no control over this whole situation." His hands went out as if to show he was completely separate from their issues.

Rai understood. Seemed batman was keeping them pretty under wraps, her purpose beginning to get even more blurred. The horseman felt a sense of confusion and just being completely lost. She was a demon among men, a wolf among lambs. She'd have to discover that for herself as it seemed the Justice League had no inclination to help her.

"Alright, Well, I'm heading out for the night." Clarke chirps, yawning dramatically, pulling the demon's attention to himself.

"Alright. Goodnight."


	26. Black Swan

Rai walked home in silence, pushing open the front door to find Will and Jason glued to the television, which blurred and distorted as the demon walked past.

"Ey- away from the TV please!" Will shouts as Jason actually looked up from the screen for once.  
Rai blinks before stepping away to return the screen to normal. She orients herself to glance to the screen, finding it to be two guying slamming gloved fists into each other. Odd what mortals saw as entertainment. Will and Jason beat up bad people for the sake of justice all the time. Why did they want to watch two people beat each other up?  
"What is this?" Rai asks.  
"Boys night. Shoulda put the 'no girls allowed' sign up." Will drolls in a half-joking manner causing Rai to cock an eyebrow.  
"Boxing." Jason finally answers, choosing to not exclude the demon. He scooted over on the couch to make room for her to which she hesitantly sat.

"So the point is?" Rai asked, watching as the two bodies on the screen moved about and their soul's wavelengths pushed against each other like angry dogs.  
"Knock the other guy out of course." Jason laughs, sipping his beer.  
Rai was left to wonder the actual sanity of humans. Then again she could understand, most didn't live lives of grandeur, so they would watch others achieve it instead and receive a secondary high off of it. Seemed to be the nature of all competition. But here she was with those who were seen as titans and they still liked watching two people with no abilities what so ever fight like wounded dogs.  
"Oh! I also brought you that little present we talked about the other day." Jason mentions, nodding into the kitchen. Rai had to stop and think to remember what he meant before remembering the tape recorder conversation a few days ago.  
"Right! Thanks. I may get started on that soon… But I'm heading out for the night in a bit." Rai mentions, moving to the kitchen to check out the tape recorder.  
"Where you heading?" Will asks abruptly. Where would a demon go in the middle of the night.  
"Anywhere but staring at the ceiling in my room." Rai huffs, a bit bored with that. Although a change of pace wasn't her only intention.

"Alright, Well, I'll probably be gone by the time you get back so I guess I'll see ya tomorrow?" Jason waves as she works on getting her things together to head out again.

XXXX

Rai set out, glamours phasing into place. The devil walked herself into the entertainment district of Metropolis, seeking out a secretive bar where she had an acquaintance.

Getting past the bouncer wasn't a challenge, although inside the bar repulsed the demon. This place called The Estuary seemed to be so busy. Humans throwing themselves at demons, succubi, wendigo, all manner of demons. These people let themselves be taken so willingly by these beasts. Although this was much better than the alternative in her mind. So long as none were permanently harmed. The atmosphere was rather strange. It was a usual party but the place had a bit of class. As if it were at one point a high end human bar. The floors were marble, the music was pounding and the air was full of cigarette smoke.

"Where's Isroh?" She asked the bartender.  
The eleven looking man looked up from wiping down the counters, his face paling at the sight of a devil. Even when she had glamours up, a demon could feel the raw power pulsating off her. A devil in a nest of lesser demons usually meant one of two things. They were getting shut down, or they were getting claimed by a tyrannical monster. He stammers, trying to figure out how to answer her. Encounters with devils could turn violent quickly and the man just feared he'd lose his head.  
"Relax. We're friends." Rai hums, putting the poor lesser demon into a more relaxed state.  
"Sorry- He's in the back. Here." The man invites Rai around the side of the bar, to which she worked her way around and past the curtain that shielded the back room.

It reeked of smoke and blood. Sure as hell she'd just walked into a wendigo nest. The room was dimmer lit but lavish with incredibly ornate and expensive furniture. The majority of the room was white with violet accents and furniture, including a small table with three chairs. There was a rather comfortable looking bed in the corner and sure enough a rather handsome demon had a young woman pinned to it and was draining a fair amount of blood from her system.

"Isroh." Rai calls, to catch his attention. It worked and the dark haired man leans back off the woman as she laughs lightly.

"So this is what happens when humans are willing to partake in this nonsense."

"Would you prefer we chase down unwilling humans and scare them to death to get our fill?" The handsome demon shrugs, lightly pushing the woman off him to let her lay beside him. She was alive, and had not lost a dangerous amount of blood, much to Isroh's self-control.

Isroh was tall and rather slender. His hair was dark and curled into loose ringlet that rest on his pale shoulders. The eyes of the beast shined a bright orchid as a spaded tail lashed around behind him in slight irritation. He looked like what a human would see as the ideal man, tainted fruit to lure in defenseless humans with a pretty picture, never seeing the venom beneath until they were dead. Or- at least that's what was intended by nature. Isroh had yet to actually kill anyone as far as she knew.

"I suppose I see your point. So long as they aren't being forced into it." Rai admits. Demons of these types had to get their fill somehow. "I was under the assumption wendigos consumed human flesh."

"Ugh, don't compare me to those barbaric swine." Isroh groans in his despair, plopping into a chair and pouring himself a glass of vodka, tilting the bottle toward Rai to offer her some. The horseman lightly shakes her head and sits across the table from him. "I'm a 'sanguine wendigo'. We only drink the blood. I get mistaken for a vampire a lot but,hey, I don't blame people." He shrugs.

"Why'd you want to see me?" Rai abruptly asks, only wishing to get to the point of all this.

"We're missing swans." Isroh admits.  
"Swans?" Rai cocks an eyebrow completely confused.

"Black Swans. These humans who willingly let us get our fill of blood in exchange for a decent living and a place to live. They don't like the term 'donor' for some reason, so that's what we call them. Anyhow," Isroh shifts uncomfortably. "The swans have been going missing randomly. I mean they're free to leave whenever they choose, but they usually give some kind of notice and don't disappear off the face of the earth." The demon growls at the idea of someone killing what he's worked so hard to cultivate.

"Alright… and you don't want the rest of the league knowing why?" Rai crosses her legs, heel barely grazing Isroh's shin.

"The league isn't too fond of demons."  
"On contrare-"  
"They aren't fond of those whose existence comes at a detriment to others." Isroh corrects himself. "They'd help with the swan situation but then attempt to regulate the entire operation to the point I can't keep it running, then demons are back to hunting down the unwilling and hurting people."

"Starting a vicious cycle again." Rai finishes, finally seeing Isroh's point. Yes the whole operation seemed shady but if it were shut down, hunts would begin again and the spike in wendigo attacks on humans would most certainly spark a knee jerk reaction.

"I'll see what I can do about this. Although, You may have to trust some of my teammates." Rai knew demons, but this could get messy. Perhaps Deimos would be of good help?

"If you trust them, I do." Isroh waves his hand in a dismissive manner. He obviously just wanted the issue resolved as quickly and discreetly as possible.

"Alright. I'm on it." Rai stands, mind attempting to think of where to start.

"Thank you." Isroh smiles, leaning back in his chair. The horseman was rather taken aback by actually being thanked. It was kind of refreshing.

"Not an issue. I'll take care of it." Rai assures before heading out the door.


	27. Scorched

This again.

Will's head swirled, his body feeling heavy as lead. All he could focus on where the few strands of blonde hair that hung in his eyes and the white tiles on the floor under his cheek. He tried to get up but quickly realized his hands were bound behind his back so tightly his fingers were numb. He pulls, finding himself far too weak to break them.

Remembering what had happened was beyond him, all he knew was everything the touched seemed to be amplified to the point of pain. The tile against his bare skin felt like the sharpest ice shards digging into him. His hips, his thighs, especially his chest burned with it but he just couldn't get away from it. The ropes bit into his wrists enough to pull his mind off it, if only a little. He had the most amazing headache, almost to the point he didn't mind the pain. It almost felt good. Almost.  
He could almost hear what might be people but that was still muddled. He shakes his head, flinching when he realized his neck hurt like hell. Why? And did he smell blood? Things began to slightly clear, Enough for him to see the shoes of a man walking past him and a roaring fireplace. Was he in someone's office? One more attempt to break his bonds proved useless as they just bit into his wrists harder.

"Finally fucking awake." A man's voice echoes, making the blonde wince. It sounded so much louder and hurt his ears. Will's heart raced from some unfamiliar feeling he'd soon come to know constantly. A sharp force hit him in the ribs forcing him to yelp and cough from the sudden impact. His ribs gave in. What kind of hell had he gotten himself into?

"You'll answer when spoke to." The man grumbled.  
"Fuck you." Will weases, working on attempting to get up again. He stumbles but is quickly brought up by an angry grip on his hair. He struggles to catch his balance but it's like his legs wouldn't work. He was forced to look the man in the face.

An older man, in his mid-30s perhaps with a slightly scruffy face. His hair was inky black and trimmed short enough to see the swirling tattoo on the side of his head. He was a burly man with calloused and unloving hands. "How I hate having to train new pets." He spat before running his fingers across Will's cheekbone. "What a pretty face."

Will was then dropped, his cheek hitting the floor causing another painful impact. He groans, pulling his knees to his chest, realizing he had no pants on either. All he wore were the ropes holding him down. The urge to retaliate grew in him, pure hatred building inside. He wanted to fight back, he had to! He was the son of a ferocious amazonian warrior, he was bred to fight back! Crystal eyes trace up the man's leg before he was swiftly kicked again, this time hitting him in the left bicep, causing his to bite his lip. He refused to scream for him.

"That face. They all come in with it. But we'll break you. We always do."

He'd walked away. Finally, he could recover with a bit of peace. He felt his head begin to clear even more as he realized the severity of which he was bruised. He struggled once more, if he could get his hands free, but that just wasn't going to happen. He felt blood begin to trickle from his wrists from rubbing against the twine so hard just to get loose.

The man was coming back.

He traces up his leg to find a red hot branding iron clasped in his large hand. Will panics. Scooting back to avoid him but was unable to get away. He found himself straddled on the floor, pulling against the ropes as the man readied the iron over his chest.

His skin scorched, every nerve in his body seemed to ignite all at once as Will screamed in pure throat ached from how loudly he'd screamed. Tears rolling past his temples as he could smell the horrible scent of burnt flesh.

Will sits straight up in the bed with a jolt, hands moving to the left side of his chest just to make sure he wasn't still burning. Relief didn't hit him until he realised his hand was resting on the soft fabric of his shirt instead of his bare skin. His clothes were soaked in cold sweat as he quickly yanks it over his head in defeated anguish and hauls himself out of his bed.

He passes his full body mirror on the way to his dresser to grab another shirt, eyes finding himself. Even in the dim light he could still see himself. And it disgusted him. Will was marred, every inch of skin from his neck to his wrists was marred with a road map of scars. Most were centered around his back, his shoulders and his the most prominent, at the left side of his chest. His hand moves to run across the branded image of an eclipsed sun cursing the raised marks in his head as he moves to go get another shirt.


	28. Tracking Lilac

Rai was on a lead. Isroh'd let her look around in the Swan's living quarters for clues. The room was lavish and well lit but something felt odd. The sheets had been freshly washed but still smelt of death. The window was broken but they were on the second floor. In Rai's mind, she found it ridiculous for a human to risk jumping from such a height when they were neither held hostage or in danger, but still the glass had been shattered and lay in the grass outside. She recognized the deep marks in the wall but they weren't sharp like claws… the marks were rounded grooves. Horns.

Rai found her way outside from the window, following the route she figured would be easiest and she was certain she'd just caught a whiff of her perfume. Lilac and honey, a lovely smell, she'd have to look into some for herself. Rai'd love to alleviate the constant scent of graveyard roses. Following a scent wasn't easy for a demon who did not often rely on such senses, but she was managing. She'd taken a couple wrong turns but upon starting from the beginning again she was able to right herself. She was working her way through a rather muddy back road when she smelt a very distinct scent. Blood. She knelt, placing a hand into the heavy tire tracks in the road and determining the blood and rainwater had filled the could also notice indention in the mud, small feet, perhaps a woman. Had to have been the woman she was looking for. But why was there blood? She begins tracing the tire tracks finding them to take a hard left off of the road shortly after the blood, she follows it further, down into a creek bed to find and freshly wrecked car.

The smell of burned oil bombarded her, overwhelming her senses and forcing her to hold her breath. Fatal car crash, front bumper was demolished, must have hit something solid. The foot tracks didn't end, the woman wasn't anywhere near the area and she seemed to walk back into town after getting rammed into by a car… which killed the man in the driver's seat, but evidently something decided the car crash wasn't enough. He'd been yanked from the car and dragged a few feet away. As Rai ventured close she realized he'd been split open, and distinct teeth marks where gnawed into the inside of his rib cage. But they'd given up there and settled for only softer tissues before barreling away.

Something wasn't right. No human woman would survive that and walk away. And why wouldn't whatever devoured the man, also eat the woman he'd hit? She follows the tracks back into town but loses any form of tracking as soon as she hit pavement. The stench of oil still threw her senses off and following scents was useless. She weighed her options deciding to return to Isroh for some more insight.

Her footsteps fell heavy in the doorway as Isroh reclined on a couch, wine in hand. "Ah, back so soon?"

"I need answers." Rai huffs, exhausted for chasing a dead lead.  
"Ask away." Isroh straightens, feet setting against the floor and leaning over slightly.  
"She's human right?" The devil pulls up a chair. Sitting properly before the Wendigo.

Isroh nodds. "Yeah. We only accept human swans."  
"And no sex is involved?"  
"No. It's even frowned upon. Why?" Isroh asks, praying this wasn't going where it seemed to be.

"I believe your human swan may be more than just human... unless it's normal for people to get struck by a car and continue running toward town." Rai sets back in a chair, picking up a wine glass, thinking for the moment. "I think she may have been changed."

"Something must be done." Isroh stands, pacing in sheer dismay. One of his swans was about to wreak more havoc on this city than a wild dog in a hen house, and it was his fault.

"Agreed. She seemed to have gotten much larger when struck. Assuming you don't allow any disease oriented demons in, that leaves the sexually transmitted infection."

"Wasn't a succubus, Don't allow those to be alone with the swans at all. We did have a Etivian… scheduled her as well…But she didn't die afterwards!" Isroh continues confused. Many forms of demons could convert people into demons as well through sex… although to actually transform, they must die recently afterwards.

"Are you sure she didn't die?" Rai asks, rolling her shoulders forward into a lazy slump.

"She did mention feeling slightly ill right beforehand… she went to bed early that night." Isroh recalls.

"And died in her sleep most likely." Rai states her theory. "Etivians… beastly when young, mature to look more human. Sounds about right. Although, doesn't help our situation out. She'll get worse before she gets better… and it'll take a while to get her even manageable for you to keep in the bar." Rai mentions, waiting of Isroh to make a decision.

"I can't believe this. She's become just like me… she'll suffer just like me." Isroh was beginning to panic. Sitting back onto his couch.

"And many more will feel pain if she is not brought to a heel. We have to find her. Before they do. And either bring her back here or I may have to kill her."

Isroh was silent. "I agree. But please. Please try to calm her. And if you must kill her. Kill her quick." Isroh cringed.

Rai's unbeating heart sank. Another demon who cared deeply for mortals, seeing them as more than just livestock for later consumption. Although, the idea of being forced to kill the newborn demon was the more likely of the two options. She'd be hungry, yet have no idea how to satisfy herself. Then once she did discover human flesh and blood would soothe the aching if only for a little while, she'd stop at nothing for the fleeting feeling of relief. Freshly turned humans often had to experience the feeling for the first time in hell… where only other damned souls and demons were the victims. But on earth, every mortal was in danger the longer she existed. And Etivians were notoriously ferocious when freshly emerged.

"I will. Be back once I've done it." Rai nods, heading out the door to summon her beast from the rift. Upon mounting, her eyes scanned the streets, deciding to follow where she'd left off and comb every darkened ally she could find until she found the poor creature.


	29. Silithia

Today was not a good day for Deimos, slowly the dragon child began to understand why exactly people went to great lengths to avoid being shot. Now that both the shock and the pain medicine he'd been given had worn off, he felt like his leg was threatening to fall off. To top it all off he was laying in his bed, with the remote halfway across the room and his television was currently on some reality show. He was attempting to sit just so perfectly still as not to jar his leg, but he swore even the movement of his own heartbeat was jostling him.

He heard his front door open, the voices of his parents and one other voice. He couldn't necessarily tell who it was, but his curiosity didn't overwhelm his urge to sit his door creaked open and he internally groaned at the idea of someone else coming to move him. But instead he was met by a familiar little fawn.

"Hey! Calyps-owch!" Deimos winces since he had actually sat up straight.  
"Sorry! Don't move! I'm just here to take care of you." Calypso smiles, sitting in Deimos's office chair. "Your parents said I could stay over until your better." She adds, her legs crossing in the chair as she suddenly realized it had wheels. How fun. She began rolling the chair across the hardwood experimentally.

"Oh! Nice! It'll be like a fun sleepover… that I can't move much for." Deimos laughs, painfully shifting himself to sit more upright.

"I know right! So much fun! Also, your mom told me to give you this." Calypso digs around in her loose robes and produces a pill bottle, which she hands to the half dragon.

"Finally, drugs. I've been dying here." Deimos laughs, unscrewing the bottle of hydrocodone. "You know, getting shot sucks."  
"Hey at least it was in the leg." The fawn mentions. She couldn't imagine how much worse with would have been if he'd taken a body hit, or a wing.

"Point taken. Hey why don't you hand me the remote over there and I can put on a movie." Deimos offers, just ready to be rid of the garbage that was on T.V right now. He was sure there was something good on one of the movie channels. Calypso quickly kicks off the desk, rolling the chair half-way across the room to retrieve the remote on her way past it before spinning around and kicking off the opposite wall, which shot her across the room a bit harder than expected… Dumping her out of the chair and into the floor. Calypso yelps in surprize, still laying on the floor before bursting out laughing, which signaled to Deimos it was safe to laugh as she was unharmed. His eyes trail down her mostly bare back to rest on her shoulder blades, which were surprisingly textured differently than the rest of her smooth, pale skin. Each shoulder blade had a thick, dark scar extending about the length of Deimos's hand that looked to have at one point been a clean and precise cut.

"Hey, when did you get those scars on your back?" Deimos abruptly asks, assuming there'd be no harm in it.  
"Wh- oh! Those. I honestly have no idea. Had them for as long as I can remember." Calypso mentions, twisting around as if attempting to look at them herself. "Oddly enough they used to hurt. I don't remember ever getting cut initially, but I just woke up one day and I had them."

Deimos though this was strange, but then again he'd never seen the inside of a lab before. He'd never even been badly wounded until today, he began to realize just how sheltered his mother managed to keep him.

"So. You knew my mom?" He asks, deciding to pursue his own interests with this. He wanted to know more of her, what she was like and what she was capable of.  
"I did. Silithia was the reason some of us were able to escape the lab in the first place." Calypso nods.

"Wait. I knew she escaped, but I thought it would have been a more stealthy, sneaking out sort of thing." Deimos asks, gathering the strength to haul himself over enough for the fawn to sit with him in his bed.

"Oh no. Silithia burned the place to the ground. underestimated how much he needed to fortify his facilities to keep in a full blown dragon with motivation to escape." Calypso explains, remembering the hellish fire ripping down the halls, burning experiments and doctors alike… and providing enough havoc to allow the few who survived the blast to escape. "One day she just snapped her chains. A lot of us died in the fire, but those who didn't die were freed by the absolute chaos."

Deimos was silent. His mother escaped, a few other escaped, but in such a fiery inferno some innocent lives were incinerated. He supposed it couldn't have been helped.

"Most of us were hunted down within the first three months… Me and Michael managed to survive for months. Then they caught up to us-." Calypso began going quiet. "They were after me. He got in their way."

"Calypso? Wait, who was Michael? Start from the beginning." He was just short of begging her to continue. This is information he'd longed for his entire life, and here Calypso knew what he needed to know, but couldn't bring herself to share. He felt pangs of guilt. If she didn't want to talk about it, he supposed it'd be cruel of him to make her. "I'm sorry. If you can't continue, don't worry I-"

"No. You deserve to know about your mother." Calypso agrees, brushing the previous bit of the conversation aside. "Do you know who my father is?" Deimos abruptly asks. Deimos longed for his real mother back, but that wasn't going to happen. Perhaps if his father escaped the blast of Silithia's escape he could have his real father.

"I'm sorry. That I have no idea about that. But I can tell you more about the lab. I have to. You deserve to know." She offers, settling beneath Deimos's thick sheets.

Calypso takes a deep breath before trying to recall everything from the beginning. "I remember Silithia started as some sort experiment that got way too far out of hand. Something about kind of fossilize blood found somewhere from what I overheard. Anyway, she was seen as the perfect example of what Dr. Crowley could do when provided with all the human genetic material he needed. However Crowley was growing more and more weary of testing his cruel experiments on her."

"Wait." Deimos stops her, confused. "He created her, but then didn't want to experiment on her?"  
"Yes. He was afraid he'd ruin her and he said he needed her alive… So he was demanding she provide him with offspring to experiment on."  
Deimos fell silent, realizing what his intended purpose was. He wasn't conceived from the love of two unfortunate experiments. His mother was forced to have him. Deimos always liked to fantasize that his mother had known and loved his father, but it began to dawn on him the chances of that were unprobable.

"Deimos. She escaped to protect you. She risked everything to make sure you'd never see the inside of a lab." Calypso explains, remembering the absolute fury in the she-beast's eyes as she incinerated the lab and tore her way out with every ounce of raw power she had. She overwhelmed everything just to preserve the tiny life growing inside her.

"So… Who was my father?" Deimos asks, almost too afraid to ask.  
"I have no idea. Silithia never spoke of it." Calypso readjusted how she was sitting which jarred the bed slightly, causing Deimos to wince, although he did realize his leg hurt a bit less… and his arms felt heavy. "Either way. She loved you very much."

"I know. And I loved her." Deimos sighs, resting his head back against the headrest. "We have anything to do tomorrow?"

"Not that I know of. You're on rest for five days anyway, Jason has nightwatch in Star City tomorrow night so you get to sleep."  
"I may fall asleep." Deimos hums, his body suddenly crashing under the weight of the drugs.  
"Then sleep." And that was the last thing Deimos could remember hearing.


	30. The Demon Slayer

A full day had past and Rai was preparing for war. There was a newborn Etivian on the loose and if left unmanaged she could gain the strength to kill hundreds. Chances are she wouldn't have been able to do much by now, Rai knew the sunlight would be painful to her new hypersensitive eyesight and the noise of screams would hurt her new hearing. But chances are now would be when she'd gotten used to the constant pain, and realized human flesh relieved it, if only for a little while.

She strings the laces through the thickly armored corset she wore, pulling it tight in the back and pulling her many cloaks around her waist. Once those were secured she straps on the pauldron to her left shoulder, takes her pair of scythes and Grimmorah's beacon and was on her way out the door only to be met with Will exiting the apartment as well with a backpack.

He was dressed in jeans, boots and a hoodie with a horned skull spray painted on it, his own logo that also showed up on his icy shield when it was crafted. "Where are you going?"

"Ditto." Will retorts.

"Got some business to attend to." Rai reasons, arms crossed.

"Again… Ditto." The blonde man huffs, pushing his way out the door and into his truck. Rai was left with questions, but no time to answer any of them. With each second she stayed, the more lives were put in danger. She throws down the glass beacon, the echoing scream of her mount rushing from the rift overpowers the air as the sulfur smoke clears and the beast awaits her.

She hoists herself into the saddle and kicks the horse forward. She had an entire town to scan and very little time to do it.

XXX

Will parks the truck in a grocery store, retrieving his laptop from his backpack and setting it in the seat next to him, opening a facebook account. Will's night job had just begun and his target was falling right into his trap. He opens his messenger and begins typing.

X 'so we're meeting tonight right?'

Will waits and less than three seconds later the messages ping in reply.

X'Yes, Still meeting at the tree in the park. I can't wait to finally see you."

Will rolls his eyes. Disgusting. He couldn't wait to rid the world of such human filth. In Will's eyes the law was not harsh enough with people like this. The man he was messaging, was fully convinced he was meeting a 16 year old boy. Will closes the computer, tucks it away under the seat and makes his way to the park, staying in the shadows and out of sight. He passes by and notices a green van with tinted windows and no license plate in the parking lot. Seems he was going to get exactly what he wanted tonight.

Will waits nearby just out of eyeline from the meeting place, waiting for the supposed rendezvous and eventually a man did show. A short middle aged man eventually showed dressed in a hoodie and jeans. He'd seen this before, the second the boy was supposed to show up, he was sure to be abducted at the threat of whatever weapon the man was concealing and he'd be gone. Luckily there was no boy. Just The Demon Slayer himself. The air began to condense, his eyes darting to the van for a second. He was unsure if the man had come alone or not, but either way no one would escape sword and shield materialized as he snuck around to a shadier place close by crystals of floating ices forming around him, sparkling in the low light and sharpening themselves to be razor sharp. Just as soon as the man's tired eyes looked up to see the gleaming glow, one was thrust through his chest like an icy spear, just below his collar and through a lung… but missing anything that'd kill him instantly.

The man drops, gripping the partuding stake of frozen water in pure horror as the blonde beast revealed himself, pure rage and hatred radiating off him like an aura of cold fire.  
"Ah Mr. Decker. What? Not pleased to see me?" Will huffs, noticing the van had started. No way they were fleeing from him this soon. With a quick flick of his hand two more shards of sharpened ice pierced a front and a back tire, stopping the van before it could move, forcing the other two men within to attempt fleeing on foot.

Will leaves his first victim writhing on the ground, gasping for breath. No way he was letting them slip away to grab some other kid. The first man turned, producing a pistol, and fired at Will, the first missing entirely and giving the half-amazonian enough time to raise his shield which completely negated the other bullets. Chips of ice flew off the sides of his shield but didn't fall to the ground, rather floated and dematerialized into water vapor to be recycles.

Will's magic was fully dependant on the water vapor in the air around him, once it was used he either had to wait on the water to diffuse back into the area around him or move elsewhere. Will had no way of knowing for certain how dense the air was with water at any given point, but he'd gotten pretty decent at estimating how much water he could pull from the air before he'd run out by how it felt. He had the air around him condensed into a heavy, dewy mist so that water was easy to shape and freeze and the temperature around him had dropped so dramatically the Demon Slayer's breath misted as he let out a tempered was a good night for Will's magic. It was already cool so the delay between drawing the water from the air and freezing it would be reduced and it was already threatening to rain adding even more water to be used.

Another spear found it's way soaring through the air and driving itself through the gunman's hip, who was quickly left on the ground as well as Will picked up the pace to chase down the one who was wise enough to run. He had every opportunity to run earlier… but he missed it by coming in the first place. Now he was just prey for a wild monster to chase down for his own sick amusement. Will could have easily ended him sooner, but why give him the satisfaction? He loved giving them the idea of escape then slowly yanking them back.

He chased him down the alley in which Will had originally came from, dodging intentionally poorly aimed icy daggers, a few of which occasionally nicked an arm or a leg just for added emphasis. No way a normal human could outrun Will. He was the perfect predator. Although he began growing bored of toying with him and streetlights began to show. He'd run out of ally to chase the man down… and now the man had run out of time. Will stops, working on condensing air about three feet in front of where he predicted the man would be in a few seconds, ice quickly lacing itself together in a hardening wall, timed perfectly. The man was too panicked to notice, as he was too busy looking over his shoulder and slammed right into it, knocking him painfully to the ground.

"Well that was stupid." Will deadpans, his foot going to the middle of the man's chest and his sword poised above him, blade driving down hard between his ribs and into his lung. He leaves it, reaching to grab his victim's foot, dragging him behind as he walked.

"Why?" Was all he could weep as he was drug along the pavement.  
"Why what? You're getting what you deserve." Will groans as he passes the man he'd stabbed down earlier , throwing him over his shoulder. He noticed the two he'd killed earlier were growing weak and were about to die. But they weren't dead yet, the first had even started trying to crawl away from him.

"Alright. So… What'd you guys plan to accomplish tonight? Rape? Murder? Abduction? Perhaps a combination of the three." Will humans, producing a rather long length of rope from the inside of his hoodie, measuring out three long segments and separating it as he talked, producing a heavy duty stake as well and eyes the tree for a moment, finding just the right spot and driving it firmly into the ground.

"Nothing! We were just going to talk!" The dying man weases.  
"Talk? With a van with two other men in it, one of which was armed…. And don't think I didn't see that rather large knife your packing Mr. Decker." Will laughs, measuring a loop in the first rope, checking it for stability then throwing it down and starting on the next.

"You can't prove nothin'!" The gunman yells with what little breath he could manage, trying (and failing) to get up.  
"Oh but I can." Will pauses, throwing down his second piece of tied rope and retrieving a cheap phone he'd picked up from the store, logging into the fake social media account.

" two weeks ago you sent 'I'll take you elsewhere if your parents are mean to you. You'll never have to see them again.', when I prompted to you about sex, which mind you, you thought you were speaking to a kid, you started talking about condoms. The fuck! That and not to mention this kid, if he were real, would be expecting to meet a hot blonde girl… you're a fat old geezer with a knife." Will sasses, rage building in him as he recalled exactly why he was doing this. "Any more questions."

"...How did you know me…" Mr. Decker recalls being called by name, he sits up best he can, staring at the Demon Slayer in terror.

"Oh you are quite careless with your account information…. Or at least. You were." Will corrects himself, finishing his last knot, taking all three and throwing them over a tree branch… three nooses hanging from above.

"No…. no-n" Will lost his patience and drives his boot into the man's jaw, quickly slipping the nooses over all three of their throats, grabbing on the the free end of the rope and yanking it taught as they struggled to clasp their hands around the ever tightening rope. He pulls harder, lifting all three off the ground and tying the end around the previously driven stake in the ground, watching the legs of his victims kick in desperation. He opens the decoy phone to the messages, ensures the battery is charge and leaves it nicely presented under the tree for the police to find later.

He sighs deciding to head into town and see what else he could find.


	31. Silver

Rai had covered a good amount of ground with no luck. No doubt this Etivian wouldn't move too much this early, but it wouldn't be long before she felt up to hunting. She'd just finished all the dark corners in the north side of town, searched every corner in the parks and now she was just beginning her search in the east side of town. She turns behind an abandoned building, hearing weeping from within. She looks to the wall, finding a beastly outline that towered taller than the average man.

Found her.

Rai dismounts, checking the door and heading inside. "Lydia?" She calls as softly as she could, the demon quickly turning, screaming at her in a high pitched squeal. Rai shakes her head, she had expected this.

"What's wrong with me?" The other demon cries, examining herself.

She looked horrible. Her limbs were elongated, her skin tearing like sickly grey paper over her jaw, chest and face. Her nails had gotten long and rake like while she grew a set of deadly elk's horns. The poor girl had sprouted fur on the edges of her jaw and she looked like she was wearing a deer's skull… but that was just where the skin had worn away. A newborn Etivian looked more like a beast than a woman, her eyes looked like that of a goat and she even possessed two cloven hooved that bled from the heels as the bones shifted and creaked within her. She'd pulled off most her hair, leaving bloody patches on the back of her head and what little she didn't pull out was sloughing off in chunks and left on the ground.

"You're going to be ok, Lydia. You had an accident. But we can fix this." Rai reasons, stepping closer. She notices the poor girl move away best she could.  
"Why does everything hurt!?" Lydia yelps, boney hands feeling her shoulders as if to try to stop the skin from coming off. It wasn't woking as the more she moved the more it cracked and peeled away. Rai grimaces, remembering that this would be her reality from now on. Constant pain.

"You'll grow used to it. Just trust me. We need to get you back to Isroh. He can help you."  
Rai offers a hand for her to take, intending to be as gentle as she possibly can be on her already painful body. Every touch would feel like nails against her until she learned to tolerate it. "Come on. Let's get you back, It's not really safe here." The horseman prods as the conflicted creature hesitantly reaches out, long and wiry hands moving to rest on hers, helping her gently to her feet as she began to coax her through the door.

Rai smelt something…. Humans. Heavily armed too.

She needed to get Lydia out before a fight started in such a closed space. She urges her further into the shadows, hoping to be undetected. She figured all should be alright if they stuck to shadows but this was new territory for Rai and whoever was coming, was definitely closer than Rai felt they needed to be.

She looks around finding herself in a delima. The only semi-fast way to Isroh's was to take Lydia right across a road out in the open. It was pretty late so it was abandoned and should Rai have to fight there was room for Lydia to run. Then again she'd love to avoid fighting at all if she could.

She weighed her options, the longer route would be great if she knew it were safe, but the shorter route granted her more mobility.

After a moment of thought she made her decision. "Come on. Across the road, then hang tight between those buildings. I'll scout to make sure it's clear."

Rai convinced the scared woman to obey, following behind and keeping her eyes scanning for threats. Once Lydia's destination was reached she sits, exhausted. Rai steps away, stepping close to the building to avoid being ambushed. She knew she smelt humans and weapons. But not being able to see them alarmed her. Only real demon hunters could disguise themselves from a devil, their armor cloaked their souls from her sight and it would take more effort to pick them out.

Rai reaches for her scythe but has to quickly duck to dodge a crossbow bolt fired at her. She glances back noticing it had a shimmering flare to it. Not good.

"Lydia, go. You know where to go." She shouts, moving her scythes into position.

Another bolt comes flying and she quickly knocks it out of the air as she struggles to find where they were coming from, she traces the trajectory back into a second floor window from a warehouse just above. Sure enough a very faint, concealed soul. She jumps, launching herself even with the window and throwing once scythe, knocking in through the window and into the hunter's head, then quickly rending it away as she lands. Footsteps approached. There were more. Four of them heading her way, glimmering swords poised to strike. Rai was in a mess. This was dangerous for her, one touch to the vitals from one of those swords or arrows and she could be dust. The were silvered, and silver could burn a demon's flesh like fire.

Surely this was due to Godfrey's blathering. They had to be expecting her to show eventually. Some people absolutely hated demons, believed all of them to be vile beasts with a goal of world conquest. Rai could understand the sentiment, but there was no talking to them and explain she was not the common demon. She'd have to fight her way through.

Rai step's back quickly moving one scythe to block off two men's swings at once, boot moving to kick one back off her and swinging her scythe down onto the other, swiftly slashing through his torso. The three remaining were still coming at her as the one she kicked off of her recouped his strength.

Silver to tempered fury clashed, Rai managing to move swiftly enough to block, just looking for a safe attack. None showed as killing one would result in a fatal blow from another. She was running out of space to fight for each parry required her to move back and she was running out of steps she could take. She'd have to risk striking back soon or she'd be cornered worse than she already was.

She lunges forward, taking a low sweep, slashing through an ankle and quickly ducking, feeling the air off the sword as it whirled by her head, tip inches from her ear. She had efficiently taken two out of the fight but the two that were left were still mercilessly attacking. Once scythe rotated forward and left her hand as the devil throws it, readying the one left and moving toward the one that wasn't struggling to dodge the scythes as it spun it's deadly blade toward him. She clashes sword's moving up to kick him but was forced to break and roll back away from him to dodge another silver arrow that staked into the ground where she'd just stood.

Taking archer fire whilst fighting would be childsplay if those weren't silver arrows. She couldn't afford to do as she usually did and just take the damage. She quickly moves once more to keep out of range of another sword strike, finding the angle at which that arrow came from. If she could keep them in front of her, the archer couldn't fire for risk of hitting his allies.

And with that she rotated the battle, dodging and counter attacking into just the right angle then swiping forward harshly to cut them down. The fell, downed by the same swift swipe of an echoing blade. The horseman was forced once again to move, arrows raining down in her direction.

She was certain she could es-

A scream was ripped from the demon's throat. Searing pain pulsed from her shoulder as she collapsed under the horrible burn. She couldn't stay here she had to move before he managed to knock another arrow but… She just couldn't. Rai felt like she was struggling to breathe even though she didn't need to, her body cringing as it awaited a second arrow to pierce her vitals and end her.


	32. King of Roses

Will had decided to head to town to grab a drink at some bar. He did, however, have to stop by his truck to grab a change of clothes as the hoodie would give away too much. He'd become infamous, no bar in their right mind would want him in there while he was in 'uniform'. He took the long way, hearing the sirens speeding toward the park he'd just left as he headed down the most abandoned road he could.

The sound of arrows flying and metal clashing caught his attention. A fight? Without him?

He picked up the pace into a light jog, meaning to catch up before a scream of a familiar voice echoes through the brick canyon. Luckily he was close, temperature near him dropping sharply and the water in the air condensing. He leaps into the clearing, boot hitting the ground and erecting an icy wall, catching the silver arrow in mid air as it was aimed to strike the devil through the heart.

"Damn. Who'd you piss off?" Will jokes, noticing the blood. She'd be fine right? One look at her face and he knew the devil was most certainly not 'fine'. She'd been torn apart right before his eyes and never conveyed pain but right now she looked like she was in pure agony.

"Demon hunters." She huffs. Reaching to attempt to remove the arrow but quickly realizes the attempt to do so could end in her death.

"Oh…." Will groans as multiple more men in armor with silvered weapons emerge from the buildings. Will was outnumbered, which wasn't much of a problem if he didn't have a wounded demon to be concerned about. He reinforced his barrier, picking up Rai in the process, careful not to disturb the arrow lodged in the back of her shoulder and quickly bolted down the ally way. The air around them condensed harder, forming into icy daggars to throw back should anyone follow… and follow they did. Fewer had decided to chase them, meaning Will could actually fight back. He turns, five icicles striking through five men with ease.

"Alright. I take you to batman then?" Will asks.

"No. I need you to take me to Isroh." Rai huffs, wincing as she was very slightly jarred.

"Who now?"

"A friend. With medics who can treat a demon without killing me in an attempt to help." Rai reasons. "There's a bar called The Estuary. Take me there in the back door and ask for Isroh."

"Alright. But on the way you're going to explain everything." Will demands in a rather grouchy tone.

"Right after you do."

Will couldn't fight that one, he decided to leave it be, moving down the backroads quickly and steadily.

XXX

"My god what in the fresh titty happened!?" Isroh groans as Will carts in the painted devil and the medics rushed her into a back room.

"She had a bit of a run in with some demon hunters." Will answers, finding himself in an awkward situation. He didn't know this man at all, but here he was in his bar… no this looked like his house. Did this guy live in a bar? He couldn't be too adversed, it was quite the beautiful set up. The carpet was plush and clean and the bedroom was exquisitely decorated with furniture that seemed rather expensive. Oddly there were elaborate flower pits with mulch in them, but no flowers. "I'm Will."

"I'm sorry do forgive me. The swans call me the King of Roses, But you can call me Isroh." The other man smiles. Settling back on the couch as if it were his throne. Will almost rolled his eyes at the sheer flamboyance.

"How do you get a name like that?" He huffs, half expecting one of Rai's deflections.

"Like this." Isroh's hand flicks ever so slightly to the side and the nearest pot to Will seems to flourish to life, overgrowing with blood red vines, blossoming with blackened flowers that looked like roses yet were too foreign to be recognized as such. The thorns were razor sharp and the vines themselves looked like they could cut skin with little effort.

"Ah. Literal roses." Will shrugs. He was expecting a metaphor.

"Not roses. Demon Lotuses. I just got tired of explaining what they were so I just let people improvise. Besides. 'King of Roses' sounds more..."

"flashy?"

"Was going to say regal. But sure." Isroh settles, accepting the jaded complement.

The half-blood sits himself in a chair before damn near leaping out of his skin as he could hear Rai screaming in the other room.

"Jesus fucki-"

"It's the treatment." Isroh assures, shaking his head. "Removing silver from a demon's body is difficult. It burns upon contact and in order for healing to happen all affected flesh has to be removed and every drop of blood drained from your body. It's painful as hell."

Silver was nasty stuff for a demon, even for as strong of a devil as Rai. It scorched to the bone and the longer it was in contact with the body, the more the corrosion would spread. Leaving the blood in the body from a silver wound would cause complications later as the element would absorb and rot her body from the inside. The worst part of it all was that Rai now felt pain as a human would. Hitting a demon with a normal, unsilvered arrow would not feel nice, but wouldn't be unbearable. Now even though Rai would be treated, until her wounds healed, she'd experience pain like mortals do and trying her damnedest to hide it.

Yeesh, Will felt slightly bad for Rai, but if it kept her around they'd have to do it. Will stands, unable to sit still, pacing while his attention began to wonder elsewhere, just trying to get his mind off the atrocity that was happening in the other room.

"You skate don't you?" Isroh bluntly states, shifting.

"Um. Yeah. How did yo-"

"Only figure skaters get butts like that. Ass-k me how I know." Isroh laughs, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms behind his head.

Will didn't know to be offended or flattered. He didn't have time to decide he was more concerned with the fact Isroh would brazenly inform him he was in fact looking there. Well, getting his mind off Rai had just been fully achieved. Then again, Isroh wasn't wrong. Will had been on the ice since he was seven and was good enough to be professional if he really wanted to. He just liked it as a fun escape from reality. Odd finding someone else who skated as well, much less someone who was able to pick out skaters by their rears.

"You do too then?" Will leans against a wall, getting the attention off hit butt.

"Yeah, But I do good to avoid hitting walls. I can do the leaps and shit, but I seldom pay attention to where I'm headed and… well… those walls are quite unforgiving." Isroh snorts, reaching back for two wine glasses and getting up to retrieve the bottle.

The blonde man could sympathise. He'd hit quite a few and despite his natural fortitude, received nosebleeds, black eyes and nasty bruises. Will supposed Isroh wasn't too bad, despite obviously letting his eyes wander. Soon Isroh was back with a rather fancy looking wine bottle.

"You like white wine?" The demon asks, offering him a glass.

"Damn, We just met and you already know all my dark secrets." Will laughs accepting before cringing at another ear splitting scream followed by a shrill bark of a small dog.

"A dog?" Will asks.

"We woke up Bella." Isroh groans, moving to a corner of the room and leaning down to a very fancy dog crate, opening the lock and hoisting the little beast onto his hip as if he were holding a baby. Will raises an eyebrow as Bella did not look like the kind of dog a demon would have. She was small, fluffy and looked like a toasted marshmallow with big black eyes and a button nose, all adorned with a purple bow in her frizzy mane. The amazonian had to admit, she was absolutely precious.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Will was holding back laughter and the urge to pet her.

"I know right!? So much fluffy." Isroh smirks, nuzzling himself into her fluffy cheek as he tail just whips around behind her. "I like you Will. We should go hit a rink together soon."

Will bites his lip for a moment, considering it. What was the harm? He seemed nice, may as well go have some fun soon.

"Sure. I'm usually at the one in metropolis on saturday night." The blonde man hums into his wine glass as a medic emerges from the back bedroom.

"She's done. She'll heal but she's going to feel crummy for the next few days." The nurse claims before taking her leave.

"I better go check on her. Saturday?" Will asks.

"Yeah, Saturday." Isroh hums, watching as Will disappears into the back room.

Rai looked all kinds of awful. She was paler than usual if that was even possible, possibly from the bloodloss, propped in bed with a bandage wrapped around her shoulder and bare bosom. She didn't even bother hiding her demonic form, inky markings still present along with her horns, digging into the headboars.

"No one is to hear about tonight." She groans.

Will shakes his head, sitting in a nearby chair.

"Ditto."


	33. Golden Viper

How boring tonight was for Jason. He was roaming around Star City, black and gold hood pulled over his head as he braved the rain and wind, listening to the police scanner. If anything went wrong, he'd know and be able to get there faster than the cops themselves could. He growls in irritation and/or boredom, moving to remove the band that held his hair back from under his hood, shaking the curly locks of sandy blonde hair back around his collarbone.

He found himself leaned against a chimney, mind wandering. Within a few weeks he'd done his first giant bust, gotten recognized as a viable hero by the big wigs of The League, gotten put on a team, met a demon, a dragon and an old friend and all sorts of other stuff. Dream come true! He kept his headphones in one ear to keep an eye on the scanner but sometimes hearing the noises of the city was enough for him to be entertained.

"We have a break in at the bank, Can any units respond?" Jason perks.

A bank break in? This was great! Jason absolutely adored slapping down bank robbers. Something about reading so many comics as a kid. It made him feel like a real superhero to kick a guy with a black sock on his face's teeth in.

Jason gets up, realizing that there was an alarm going off in the building he happened to be sitting on. He glances out front of the building, realizing he was already at the bank, er on it! Today just got better and better!

He hops down onto the fire escape before finding himself behind the building and standing at the back door used to load money in and out of transport vans. No way this door was unlocked, and after close examination it looked heavy. Jason had the quick fix for that. He reaches to his belt to find a small aluminum box with what looked like suction cups on it and finds a nice looking spot in the middle of the door, sticking it on. Upon gauging how far back was safe, he finds the switches under where the box was and flicks it with a satisfying click.

Followed by nothing.

"Son of a b-" Jason was cut off by a massive blast of a fiery inferno ripping its way through the steel door, splintering it inwards like a soda can tossed in a fire. Hunks of metal strewn into the building in all directions and into the walls around it. The noise alone was enough to make the archer regret not bringing earplugs as well as he rubs his ears with his gloved palms. Upon noticing the destruction ,the archer lets out a low whistle before realizing that breaking and entering was about as subtle as a horse kick to the face and his bank robbers were probably alerted to their impending butt-kicking.

He draws his bow, quickly setting foot inside before the smoke had fully settled and sure enough there were men holding bags of cash and a cracked safe. This was where he realized mistakes were made. They were armed with handguns that Jason quickly had to duck behind a counter to avoid. A hail storm of bullets flew over the top of the counter and drilled multiple holes into the wall across from him as stares up blankly, having think of something to do.

He groans, thinking of some way to fix this. He digs into the pouches on his belt before finding what he was looking for, tossing what looked like black marbles over the counter. The room filled with smoke as the the miniature smoke bombs impacted with the floor and released enough smog to conceal most the room.

That was his chance, he stood, hand reaching back and knocking an arrow from his quiver in one fluid movement, taking less than a second to do all that and fire and reaching back to reload. Jason took care not to actually kill anyone though, for there were not sharp-tipped arrows. The archer's quiver contained special arrows designed to hit with two prongs and send the same amount of electricity as a police taser into a man's body. In another fluid motion he had a second arrow nocked and ready to fire, launching itself into a man's back as he tried to run. Jason notices the fog in the room had begun to clear and decided he should be weary as intelligent enemies would turn on him. At the last possible instance he retrieved a different type of arrow and fires bast the men and into the opposite wall just as they drew their weapons at him.

"You missed, Robin Hood." The mobster growls.

"Nu-uh." Jason sasses before whistling in an annoying, high pitched tone.

The arrows in the wall seemed to break in half, releasing gas into the room. Tear gas. Jason had moments to pull a miniaturized respirator from under his collar and upon his face to avoid the gas himself by the time he looks up he finds the butt of a pistol slamming into the side of his face, causing his ears to ring. Infuriated, Jason retaliates, driving his knee into the thief's chest and jamming his bow into the back of his head as he was bent over. The poor theif hit the ground face first, curling into fetal position, nursing his bruised head and ego.

"Fucker! Anyone else?" Jason growls, arms gesturing angrily. Luckily the other thieves seemed content with coughing and gagging on the floor from the tear gas.

The archer took the time to collect the cash bags and pile them on the counter as sirens approached. He quickly took up a blank banknote and a pen, writing a quick note and leaving it with the money before leaving in the direction he game from.

XXX

"Police, hands up!" The men yell as they burst through the door, finding the robbers laid on the floor and the gas diminishing. They tread forward, genuinely confused as they notice all the money untouched on the counter.

One officer moves forward and his companions work on formally arresting the robbers.

"Sorry about the door… Your welcome- Golden Viper" He reads under his breath. He couldn't complain, at least they didn't have to risk a shoot out.

XXX

Jason huffs and he finds his way back onto a vacant balcony, leaning against the railing. What great night wasn't complete without some well-deserved buttkicking. He groans, realizing his face actually hurt. He swore he could feel a nast shiner coming. Good luck explaining this to dad.


	34. Young Justice

"Deimos! You're not well yet! Stay home!" Grace yells after her son from the kitchen as he hobbles out on his crutch. No way he was missing today. They'd be meeting the other team of young heros according to Batman's text. Yes, Batman had told him he didn't have to come in light of his injury, but when did that ever stop Deimos? Calypso was hurrying along behind him, seeing as she couldn't at all stop him from leaving so she may as well make it easy for him to go.

She hauled his backpack up onto her shoulders, skipping along behind him."Bye Grace!" She waves on the wait out the door. She follows along, noticing the dragon seemed to be walking slightly better, or just faster. Calypso had a bit of trouble keeping up with the heavy bag of spell books and scrolls weighing her down.

"Uuuuugh why is knowledge so heavy!" Calypso groans, just hopping along happily as they made their way to base.

"Sorry! But if we're meeting the other teams it's probably for some kind of training. If we're training I'd rather have plenty to do from the chair in the corner they'll no doubt put me in." Deimos hums as they find the zeta tube, crowding in as the teleporter warped them inside mount justice.

The place was full of people, Justice League members, Young Justice members, then there was the Beta group. Rai sitting in a chair as stoic as ever, although paler than usual if that were possible, Will being is usual anti-social self and Jason being unusually distant.

The archer did, however come to greet Deimos and Calypso.

"What happened to you?" Deimos questions, noticing the bruise extending down Jason's cheek.  
"Ahhh…. Stairs?"

"Riiiiight." Deimos hums, looking up to see a man in a red suit quickly pushing a chair toward Deimos.

"Right… chair. Fine. Thanks." The dragon-child groans, plopping down in the chair before jumping at the jolt of pain in his leg from the impact. At least The Flash was nice about it.

Rai on the other hand was just focusing on not letting to room spin. She was exhausted, more so than usual and her body felt so heavy it took real effort to move. Her back and shoulder pulsated with pain from beneath her armor which so conveniently hid any evidence of last nights escapade. Only Will knew the truth, and he began to pity her. She was toughing it out like a champ, but that had to hurt.

The teams had almost segregated themselves, side from Artemis and Jason who'd met beforehand and took up small talk, then moved on to showing off their bows and preferences nd other archery related things. Calypso decided to join in, rather proud of her hand-made equipment, just happy to be included.

Deimos was miserable. He wanted to get up and be social. He was certain he could get up and at least move around. He hauls himself up before feeling himself being gently pushed back into the chair by a small hand on his shoulder.

"Hey gimpy. Don't think you should be hobbling around like that." A smooth voice calls as he turns. Flowing scarlet hair and green eyes seemed to make the boy lose his tongue as his cheeks flared a slight pink shade. The mask didn't hide her beauty from the young dragon as he instantly did exactly as she ordered and stayed in the chair solely because his brain was still trying to comprehend what he should be doing. His wings twitched against his back as he pulled them around himself, snapping out of his momentary daze. He recognized the blackened bat emblem across her chest, realizing she was one of the bat kids, but he didn't know much else.

"Right. I- um. I'll stay." He smiles, crystal eyes catching the light in a somewhat daydreaming manner.

"Batgirl, and you are?" The redheaded woman smirks, pulling up a chair to keep the injured hero company.  
"Deimos. I- um." Deimos was at a loss. He had no idea what kind of smalltalk to start with or where to go from here. All he knew was she seemed nice and that he kept having to try not to stare at her. What really stuck him was the perfume she was wearing. It was light, almost as if it'd been washed off a day or so ago, but to the dragon's senses it was still lingering on her. She radiated a faint scent of fruit and flowers.

"So… dragon, huh? Must be cool to actually fly around like that." Batgirl prods, hoping to get him to actually open up and talk. She seemed to think he was starting to get sick… or holding his breath.

"Yeah, half-dragon. Still enough to get the cool wings and such." Deimos finally got himself to calm just enough to talk with some semblance of normalcy. He didn't know whether he wanted to run away from her or stay closer. Did it make sense to want both?

Meanwhile Jason was multitasking on his conversation, Deimos's, and attempting not to bust out laughing. Poor kid, seemed talking to girls was not his forte at all. Kid could burn down hoards of bad guys yet when met with a pretty girl he looked like his brain blew a fuse.

He watches as they talk for a moment before Batman calls the mystery woman away to tend to some business. Jason glances back to Deimos, taking note of the odd stare he had as she walked away. What a dope.

Jason excused himself for a moment, settling down in what used to be Batgirl's chair, giving him a rather sarcastic smirk.

"What?" Deimos groans.  
"You like her." Jason accused, leaning back. "And your game is shit."  
"I um…. Your not wrong… on either of those."

"No I most certainly am not. You need some serious help dude." The archer admits, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs, watching Batgirl from afar and glancing back to Deimos, finding him still rather starstruck, but trying not to make it obvious…. And failing miserably. He could see the appeal, she was pretty, looked the right age, but why was he so struck by that particular one? There were plenty of pretty girls here, why that one?  
"So… you going to talk to her?" The older man asks facetiously.

"What? No way!"  
"Oh. So your just going to torture yourself staring at her all day and wait on things to fix themselves?" Jason teases.  
"Yes?"  
"No. You will not be sitting there like a sad puppy all day. Talk to her. Ask her somewhere, just be cool. See where it gets you." True advice from experience, Jason'd been around this bush plenty of times, striking while the iron's hot was the only way Deimos wouldn't wind up moping around like a kicked puppy.

"Right… I will. Soon." Deimos ponders in his own head how to approach this. Just being nice was the usual protocol but with her he had to be more than just a nice guy. He pulls his phone from his jacket, looking up things to do in town.

Shrugging as he realizes his work had been done, Jason gets up just as the Bat himself clears his throat to speak. "Today you'll get to know your sister team. Chances are some day in the future you will have to work together. Train at your own will." Batman turns and whispers something to Clarke as that apparently meant he was done talking.

Will glances back to the group of League members, realizing his mother was there. She was focused in conversation with Batman and Superman both, but would every so often look his way. No doubt they were talking about him. May as well give them something to talk about.

First order of business, find the scariest guy in the room. Right now, that looked like the tall boy in a superman tee shirt. He'd always wanted to fight a kryptonian, sadly every challenge he'd issued to the man of steel had been instantly declined without question. Perhaps his clone would be easier to antagonize.

xxxx

All was quiet for a moment with Rai, she was rested in the couch, just trying not to show how badly she was really hurting. A new person came to sit next to her, a kind and bouncy soul, but not at all human. This soul was more polymorphic, constantly warping and changing to mimic others.

"Hi! I'm M'gann!" Her voice seemed cheery and full of joy.

"Rai, You with the Young Justice team?" Rai shrugs, just wanting to look comfortable in conversation.

"Yup, guessing your b-" They were cut off with the start of an argument. Seemed friendly enough, mostly just antagonizing each other about sparing. However, it was quickly escalating.

"Can't take him anywhere." Rai hums nonchalantly. "Hey! Take it to the training room!" She encourages. If they must fight, may as well let it be somewhat productive.  
"You have this problem often?" M'gann groans as Will taunts the antagonized kryptonian clone away, much to the despair of the league members involved.  
"You'd be surprised."

XXXX

The training room was mostly empty. Just Kaldur and Jason standing watch to keep Conner from murdering Will…. Or vice versa. Jason sits back with Kaldur, his expression blank.

"So… which of em's going to need a new set of teeth?" Jason huffs.  
"Neither. We're to stop them before that happens." Kaldur glares onward, watching Will particularly. The atlantean began to recognize the sudden drop in temperature and the air fogging up.

Super Boy charges, but Will saw that coming. He ducks sideways, heel coming up to ram into the larger man's back, forcing him forward. His shield materializes in his hand as he prepares for the second pass. Wills shield was struck faster and harder than he anticipated, powdered snow shimmering off his shield with each crushing blow. Still Will braved it, waiting on Connor to tired himself out.

That tactic failed miserably. Connor wasn't tiring and he struck the side of the shield, nudging it to the side and slamming a fist into the side of Will's shoulder hard enough to send him into the opposite wall. Will groans, his head spinning as he gets back up. In a battle of raw strength, it seemed Superboy won hands down. He'd have to fight smarter. He realizes Connor did all his damage up close. At a distance he was useless and in this blind rage he was sure to keep attempting to come at him.

And come Connor did, the second Will was on his feet, Connor's cleare half the space between them, Will's surroundings fogged ever denser and built into crystallized water in a number of jagged barriers. Keep running, he'd find himself full of holes. Super boy was forced to back up a step, and that step was all Will needed. The time it took for Connor take a step back was just how long it took Will to come over that wall, floating spears of ice following behind and launching themselves at his opponent.

Connor was forced to keep moving, spears staking themselves into the ground before him. The focus on that gave Will enough time to deliver a deadly punch across the left side of Connor's face, then another to the right before he was caught by the wrist.

'Stupid boy.'

A new ferocity sparked in the Amazonian. When this started he only planned to prove his mettle. Now he only wanted death. This had gone from a simple spar, to a cruel delusion of Will's twisted head. Superboy wasn't there anymore, just a remnant of an awful past. Superboy had thrown Will to the ground with another bone-crackingly painful counter strike. Will jams his heel into Connor's ankle, making him fall as well, rolling to straddle his waist, ice quickly moving up his surprised victim's body, trapping him. The ice was cracking against the struggling. He had to end this quickly. His sword began manifesting in his hand, a sharp blade just for the clone who now began to realize Will's intent.

Aqualad and Jason both had to intervene, pulling Will off and working on getting him to calm down as Connor worked to shove his was through the ice.

Will was fighting back, and overpowering both the men trying to hold him down with took Connor as well to keep him unable to hurt anyone.

"He do this often?" Connor asks, struggling to hold Will down.

"Uuuh. I would love to say no, Buuuut." Jason growls as the movement beneath them slowly stilled."All good, bud?"

"And I thought I had anger issues." Superboy groans, setting back off Will who seemed to be looking elsewhere. Upon tracing his line of sight, Wonder Woman herself had been in the doorway. Watching the fight as it seems, and shaking her head in disappointment.

Will yanks his hand away from Kaldur, moving off toward the back exit.

"So… any explanation." Aqualad raises an eyebrow to Jason.  
"I wish I had one."


	35. The Fallen

Rai was exhausted, her and M'gann had just talked for a while, mostly about dealing with hot headed boys. She kind of felt bad for M'gann. Rai was just roommates with Will, she couldn't imagine being bound to a relationship with someone who could pick a fight right off the bat. Then again, she realized people and demons like Rai did things differently. Wrath demons and love didn't mix well, especially not for the demon.

Deimos meanwhile had found a new friend. Zatana had noticed him idley reading one of his spellbooks and then she noticed the wings before realizing those was the half-dragon mage she'd been told of.

"So, you do the say the words backwards thing? Yike the tongue twisters." Deimos laughs turning the page in his book.

"Yeah, not terrible once you get the hang of it. So you don't have to use any kind of verbal commands?" Zatana asks, intrigued.

"Sometimes. There's a bunch of quick cast spells I can do off the top of my head. Dragons are born with innate magical ability. So casting things like giant balls of I can a few were words are needed or else…. You know. Magic explosions." Deimos sheepishly hums that last bit. Magic explosions where a thing, but only for massive spells that were done either incorrectly or too quickly.

"That's pretty cool. So… you into devine magic?" The magician noticed the pages of the books Deimos was focusing on were primarily centered around that.

"Ah working on a project for a friend. I usually use lunar magic. She has some… unpredictable tendencies." Deimos vents. He'd been semi helpful with Calypso. But they were running out of time. He had to prove her usefulness soon if they wanted to keep her and they were still working on basics! In Calypso's defense, her magic she seemed to have innate, was incredibly rare and difficult to start with, but he doubted anyone would understand.

Zatana hums in thought as her eyes trace Deimos's line of vision to Calypso, who'd made friends with Beast Boy and was currently throwing a ball for him to catch in multiple animal forms. First was a dog, then a horse, then a giraffe, and then some kind of bird. Either way, the fawn was more than amused.

"Her? Divine magic, on her? Surprise. Perhaps a bit more practice will help. What kind of issues are we talking about." Zatana grew slightly more concerned. Divine magic, handled poorly could do damage on massive scales. The difference between saving a life and leveling a building was just one misplaced thought. That both interested and terrified her.

"I could help. Theres two training rooms, me and you both should be able to keep things contained."

"Sounds like fun! Hey Calypso. Zatana wants to help with the magic stuff!" Deimos calls.

The fawn looks up from her game with beast boy and waves bye as she comes to see what they wanted with her.

XXXX

Meanwhile Rai's body cringed, someone was making a summons. However it wasn't a physical summons, it was just a mental link summons. A physical summons required a demon to actually go to the summoner. It required a long ritual, usually involving the remains of their human body or a personal object. Mental link summons were strictly from other demons and was similar to a phone call that rang in the demon's head until he or she answered the summons.

Rai gets up, excusing herself to find a restroom, waltzing in irritably and staring into the mirror. Upon muttering something in a demonic tongue the mirror began to cloud and a face appeared. Isroh.

"You know I hate summons." Rai growls. The smog in the mirror cleared showing Isroh, sitting on his couch in his living room.

"I know, I know. I'm so sorry. But I had an emergency come up." Isroh waves his hands. His face showed pure stress and worry.

"Alright. I can forgive. Spill."

Isroh huffs, standing to pace nervously. "A human's been mauled. All signs point to etivian attack."

Rai face fell, all anger from getting summoned falling away as she remembered telling Lydia to go straight to Isroh. Apparently she didn't. The timeline was too perfect, she'd have had plenty of time to get over the growing pains of transformation. Now she was no doubt on a hunt for blood.

"Jesus. I told her to come to you after getting caught by the hunters. I assumed she came." The horseman shakes her head.

"Never did. I assumed she'd gotten killed in the fight." Isroh defends.

This was the worst possible scenario. Rai would have to hunt her down again next chance she got. And chances are, Lydia would be far less willing to obey simple commands now that she'd won her first hunt. "What did you do with the body?"

"We cleaned up the mess, being cremated as we speak. If she kills too many people though the secrets out and both of us are in trouble. I'm busy keeping up the front here that nothing's wrong, but I can't hold it up too much longer."

Rai was at a loss. Likely this time finding her wouldn't be as simple as asking her to follow. There'd likely be a nasty fight. The horseman could fight, but it wasn't optimal, she'd need help.

"I can't do it alone." Rai leans forward onto the counter.

"What about Will? He knows now, doesn't he? Would he be willing to help?" Isroh asks, rather desperate to get this situation under control. Rai was also beginning to get a bit stressed from the idea of a bloodthirsty beast running loose with no other way to stop it than to kill it herself. Leaving her to the demon hunters was an option, but doing that had it's own risks. If she knew them, they'd attempt to use her to find the other demons around the city. They tried to kill Rai because she was a devil and an immediate threat. Capturing and extracting information out of Lydia would be childs play.

"I'll have to see. If not. I'm going to have to attempt it alone." Rai was leaning on the counter, head hanging in both stress and pain.

"If she gets away again, we're done. This is the last chance."

"I'll ask him."

XXXXX

Calypso nervously examines the room as she walks in.

"So… explain the idea again?"

" Zatana here is going to be our mitigator. For if things go south. But she's also going to watch for you to see what keeps going wrong." Deimos explains as Zatana held back to close and lock the door to ensure the room as sealed off in case of an accident.

"I get that part. I'm more concerned with the other bit." The fawn's ears twitch in slight fear.

"I'm going to try to hit you with spells and your going to block them. Maybe even hit me back." Deimos shrugs, leaning on a crutch.

"Yeah. I have some concerns." The fawn was a bit scared of the idea of Deimos actively trying to hit her with things. He was a dragon. If he hit her hard enough there was a risk of getting badly hurt.

"I won't hit you with anything bad. Here." Deimos conjures a handful of shimmering sparks at his fingertips. He moves closer letting them arc over to Calypso, who'd visibly flinched untill she was hit. She immediately started laughing at the feeling of the static dancing over her skin, tickling her.

"See? Not bad." The dragon hums, hobbling back and waiting until Calypso was ready to fight.

Zatana on the other hand was impressed with Deimos's negotiation skills. He was able to talk her into it so easily, it was rather sweet in her opinion. She perks as the half-dragon subtly hints they were starting, magic ready to stop any form of accident in its tracks.

Calypso readies herself ivory markings on her body flaring to life, her horns shimmering as her usual glassy orbs began to form and move around her like floating water droplets.

"Got those up faster than usual." Deimos comments.

"Been practicing by myself." The fawn chirps, proud of her accomplishment. Might not have seemed like much of an improvement, but any little bit was enough to make her happy.

Deimos slowly moved, giving Calypso time to react, sparks jumping at the fawn. She was confused, unaware of how to block it. Sure enough she was hit with the tickling static, but managed to keep her orbs up.

"Um. Try that again? Maybe with a little more doing stuff this time?"

"Right. I just don't know if I can block with magic." Calypso shrugs, watching her orbs float around her absently.

"Try moving one of those balls in the way." Zatana suggested.

"I'm scared to make them angry." The fawn mutters shamefully.

Zatana laughs under her breath for a second before composing herself in order to actually be constructive.

"Well we won't know until we try." She offers, still internally laughing at the idea of making magic 'angry'. "Besides. I'm here incase they do get mad."

Calypso shifts, straightening then letting out a calming breath, readying herself for another attack. Arcs of electricity lunged at her, she quickly moves a mirror-orb into its path and surprisingly it worked. The sparks completely nullified in its wake, sending of flecks of light in dying exasperation. She examines her orbs, noticing that cracks along it's surface appeared in almost the same pattern the electricity has resembled.

"Nice." Deimos smiles as he readies to fire again.

Calypso move back, maneuvering the same ball to intercept the shock, cracking it further. This kept up again and again until eventually Calypso's magic shuddered. The orb suddenly refused to work for her, cracks splitting, a bright white light shining and illuminating the room.

The fawn panics, steping back from it as it begins to errupt.

"Zatana!" Deimos calls, but the sorceress was already on it.

"Naitnoc!" She shouts, a veil of shadows wrapping itself around the shimmering light to engulf it's chaotic undoing into nothing more than a tired groan.

"Whoops."Calypso meekly hums.

"Nah, all is good. Maybe just don't use the same orb over and over again for blocking." Deimos suggests, noticing the other two orbs floating around unharmed. The fawn was listening but multitasking on creating another orb to replace the demolished one.

"Right."

"That explosion was pretty nasty. Maybe cracked orbs can be weaponized." Zatana thinks out loud, impressed with how much effort it took to fully contain that blast.

"I might try that. Have a target? I don't feel okay throwing that at Deimos." Calypso hums, avoiding any and all eye contact.

"I can block anything, but if it makes you feel any better you can fire at a training dummy." Deimos shrugs, deciding not to make her do anything she didn't want to.

"Training dummy. Got it." The magician hits a switch by the door revealing a place in the floor that quickly separated and a crash dummy erects itself.

"Go ahead. Have at it." Deimos readies to fire another shock in hopes to crack an orb.

Calypso quickly maneuvers, blocking it off and hearing the distinct sound of a cracking mirror. One orb cracked, the other two were pristine and reflective.

She struggles to aim but with a slight hand gesture a unharmed orb was sent flying, missing the dummy entirely and slapping against the wall. It shattered, arcs of arcane light shimmering off in multiple directions like deadly glitter, cracking as it diminishes.

"Oh dang." Calypso huffs, displeased with missing.

"Nah try again." Deimos shrugs, trying to keep her from discouragement.

Zatana, meanwhile was examining the nasty scorch marks now singed into the wall. She was curious as to what that could do to a living person but was concerned about testing that thought.

Calypso was readying herself a second time, trying to judge the difference between her and the dummy before sending another untouched orb flying and striking the target in the left shoulder. The explosion was comparable to the previous one but the dummy was in bad shape. As the fluttering shimmer settled, burn marks showed themselves on the plastic skin blackening it.

The fawn laughed in glee that she'd actually hit something! That was the first time she'd gotten a direct hit with any of her magic abilities. She wasn't concerned with the damage at all, rather she was just happy with hitting anything.

"Alright. Moment of truth." Zatana mentions, thinking up theories as to what might be about to happen.

Readying herself once more, Calypso judges the target. She desperately wanted to hit again but she began to feel drained. She'd kept the orbs constructed for much longer than she ever had before so she'd have to use it quickly before it faded. She quickly let it fly, slamming into the center of the dummy.

The ball shattered in a violent display or arcing light, firing in random directions and spreading the particles everywhere. Calypso flinches, covering her hears to protect them from the loud crackling of shattering mirrors and the high pitched ringing that followed. The crackling should have stopped by now, but instead the particles seemed to be attempting to condense, finding each other and shimmering in unison. A vague threat as the lights began dimming and the bulbs shattered, leaving the room in darkness, only lit by the glimmer around them that was quickly gaining power.

"Um. Guys." Calypso gulps, concerned with both the fact that her target had been obliterated off the stand and was in pieces around them and that she no longer had control of what was happening.

Zatana was about to say something, about to cast a spell, Deimos assumed. But was stuck by an arc of light that lashed from nowhere, burning through the cloth at her shoulder and blackening herskin. Deimos instead worked on containing all the energy, he let darkness swirl and neutralize as much as he could. Deimos struggled to keep it all down but realized the golden shimmer began to condense around Calypso who was panicking. The white runes on her skin glowing brighter and the golden dust seeming to adhere to her skin.

She took some deep breaths as Deimos worked to pull the magical veil off her as Zatana recovered from the painful shock.

"Calypso. Calm down. You're bringing it on yourself." Zatana blurts as the fawn just continues struggling against her own arcane abilities.

The arcane fawn's breath began to settle as she opened her eyes, taking in the sight around her. It didn't burn her, rather felt cool as the golden sparkle began to condense onto her like rain settling after a violent storm. It was kind of enchanting and calming. She knew she was in the eye of a deadly maelstrom, but she felt oddly relaxed. As if the halo of light was cradling her, calling her. Memories that weren't hers flooding her mind. Or where they? Falling like an asteroid and being immediately swallowed by water and brought out of such bliss.

The fact it was all drawn to Calypso made both Deimos and Zatana nervous. It'd burned them, they feared it'd do the same to her.

"It's like it has a mind of it's own." Deimos huffs, unsure of exactly what he was witnessing.

Zatana had seen a copious amount of wild magic but she'd never seen anything like this.

"I does. And we have to stop it." She readies herself. "cigam yfilluN"

Darkness enswarms the room, engulfing the cocoon of radiance and swallowing it whole like a starving beast. Prying Calypso's own magic off her, much to her dismay. It was over, with every last spark dead or dying and both Deimos and Zatana visibly exhausted from having to contain such excessive amounts of magic.

"Aw man." Calypso groans, a bit upset that just as she enjoyed her magic it was disposed of.

" 'aw man'? What do you mean 'aw man'? That was insane?" Deimos shakes his head, baffled at the idea of Calypso enjoying herself with all that. "It didn't hurt you did it?"

"No. I actually feel fine. Once I stopped being scared of it, it felt kind of good." The fawn admits, her ears twitching.

"Calypso! Your hair!" Zatana gasps, noticing the subtle, yet strange change.

The fawn quickly finds a lock of her own hair to examine, bringing it infront of her own eyes. Where her hair was naturally slick ivory that glided through one's hands like soft silk, they now curled towards the ends in a soft bounce. There were small glints of shimmering gold with the new twist and turns, gleaming like a golden geode from polished stone.


	36. Rematch

Once again Rai was preparing of a battle, this time to end it. She still felt horrible, everything in her cringing to get away from a source of pain that wasn't even there anymore in her shoulder. No way she'd be able to fight well tonight, but she had to. She'd need help. The demon steps out from her bedroom, finding the half-amazonian sprawled out on the couch.

"Will. I need your help tonight." She huffs, heading for the door.

Will blinks at the sudden call for help, but he did sit up a bit straighter, questioning her intentions.  
"With?"

Rai couldn't deflect this one. Will deserved to know what he was signing up for. She sighs, settling next to him on the couch.

"I have to finish what I started last night. Last night I was sent on a hunt to track down a dangerous demon before it grew strong enough to threaten the public. Obviously I was unable to neutralize the threat due to last night's accident." Rai had lost her usual stoic and stonelike posture. She sat slouched, wounded shoulder dropped down lower.

This news did make Will cringe a bit. Had he known Rai was on such a dangerous hunt he'd have continued the search after he took her to Isroh.

"So basically we get to hunt down a serial killer." Will's head tilts in the most baffled of manners. Getting Rai to spit out an answer was never easy, but he'd have to keep prying.

"We're hunting down a demon that's just come into it's ability to kill. She thirsts for blood and now that she's begun to slaughter, she'll never stop. I was trying to stop her before she started but the interruption let her run away and manifest into a bigger problem. I need you to help me destroy her." Rai states bluntly.

Will began to realize the severity of the situation. The didn't just have a creature that killed to just kill, they had a beast that had become a slave to her instincts. "Agreed. So, we have a plan?"

"Find her, Isolate her, then kill her as quickly as we possibly can. Then we have to call Isroh so he can have a clean up crew sweep away the evidence before anyone is to know about it."

"Sounds shady."

"It is."

"I like it. Let's go then."

The Demon Slayer and The Devil had been searching the streets for hours, every abandoned building and spare room had been swept with scrutinizing detail with no trace of the Etivian detected. Rai huffs, sitting back onto a trash can for just a moment as the rain begins to pour down from the sky. Another circumstance to further complicate their purpose.

"I don't think we'll find her tonight." Will sighs, breath fogging as the bite of winter began to make him feel right at home.

"We have no choice. She's already killed once. And every night she'll continue to kill to try to satisfy herself. But relief will never come." Rai shakes her head, unphased by the sheer cold. It was supposed to freeze over tonight, making tonight the best opportunity to hunt. There'd be less people around in the inclimate weather so the chances of anyone being a witness was slim to none.

"You said these things were big, right? How the hell is she hiding so well?" Will kicks a rock out of boredom before his eyes caught notice of an elongated footprint in the mud.

"Etivians are incredible about hiding in plain sight. They're ambush hunters. Hide is what they do best." Rai rolls her shoulders back before glancing past Will into the dirt. "Seems you've found what we're looking for."

"Still fresh, heading towards the outskirts of town. Come on, got to follow these before the rain washes them away." Will traces the path forward and seems to find more imprints in the dirt, following the trail as he found them. Rai on the other hand was inspecting the horizon, just hoping to not get ambushed themselves.

"I think your demon got wounded." Will mentions, noticing the droplets of blood beginning to speckle the ground.

"Not the demon. That's human blood." The devil corrects. Human blood smelt sweet and tempting, the blood of a demon smelt like oil.

"So she's killed again?" Will asks as the sheer amount of blood spilt on the ground begins to grow to lethal amounts. Eventually the crimson staining began to wash into a red tint in the mud.

"Most likely. We're right on top of her." Rai lightens her steps as not to make a sound.

"How do I help fight this thing?" Will asks, concerned he didn't know the actual details about fighting a true demon.

"I want you to keep her from running away. If she escapes again chances of catching her a third time are slim." Rai finds herself at a fence, leaping it and tracing the trail into a run down barn.

"She must be in there. Fighting her in a closed in space isn't good. We have to flush her out." Rai suggests, but finds herself at a loss for how to do so.

"Or lure her out." Will blurts, water vapor condensing into a small dagger.

"Will what the fu-"

It was too late. Will dragged the blade along his palm, blood welling and dripping onto the ground. Rai grimaces as the scent of sweet human blood began to waft her way. Rai's hands immediately went to her scythes, preparing for the beast.

Come the monster did, amber eyes flared like fiery hatred as she came barreling from the shadows of the barn, horns lowered straight for Will. She was massive, and more importantly, well fed. Blood stained her clawed hands and exposed teeth and she was considerably larger than when Rai had found her yesterday. No doubt she'd hunted down more than just the one Isroh had found.

Will had to leap to the side to avoid the horns, air condensing around him as the demon turns, rearing up onto her hind legs, jaw dropping and a sickeningly loud roar screams out over the quiet landscape. Will had expected it to be bad, but he didn't expect a nightmarish monstrosity like this. Her eyes locked on to Will, seeking blood as she drops back down to all fours came forward again.

Rai steps forward, scythes swinging forward for Lydia's breast. The horrid creature simply ducks her head, charging right through her and ramming her to the side, turning her attention to the devil.

"Stupid whore." Her voice grumbles as she moves ever closer to Rai as she gets back to her feet.

"Will keep her here!" Rai calls, just as Will manages to get his thoughts together. The air began to freeze, lacing together into jagged spears staked into the ground and pointing inward. Edges shimmered in the moonlight as they began to curve into a make-shift arena.

"You friend trapped you, bitch." Lydia's demented voice rings as the horseman's blades swing back into their readied stance. Rai said nothing in response, looking for a weakness to exploit. The Etivian was huge, three times her height and at least quadruple her weight. Taking her head on would mean running herself upon her crown of jagged horns and into her waiting maw of teeth. Back feet could deliver some nasty kicks but only from directly to the side of her hip or directly behind her. However sticking next to her shoulder rendered her safe from both horn and hoof as her neck was too short to get a good swing at her.

Just as Rai took the time to thing she was caught by another wild charge in her direction, clawed hands extended in attempt to grab the horseman, but she was too quick. She steps to the side but was caught once again by an antler and thrown forward, closer to Will's wall of dangerous spikes.

Lydia was still coming, she'd thrown Rai forward a considerable distance and was clearing the gap too quickly for Rai to get up. The Etivian rears, claws poised to gouge the Devil wide open, but just as she came down ice began to intertwine together into a spear aimed right for the demon's sternum should she actually come down onto Rai, forcing her back, flying shards of frost launched into the beasts side, causing her to hunch up in pain before turning her attention to Will who was safe on the other side of the wall.

"What's the matter? Forget there were two of us?" Will taunts, keeping Lydia distracted as she attempted to find a way over the barrier.

"Fuck you!" She squeals, reaching through the gaps in the spikes best she could to no avail. Will just stood tantalizingly out of reach.

"I believe that's my line." The half- amazonian laughs watching the slashing claws that stopped mere feet away from him.

Rai took the distraction to reach for her beacon, throwing it to call forward her devilish mount. Screaming from the abyss he came and Rai quickly finds her way into the saddle, digging her heels into his side to urge him into a gallop right for the beast's exposed side. Rai drops the left scythe, letting it fade into glimmering smoke and migrates to the other scythe. The shaft lengthening, blade growing sharper and more daunting. It swings forward, jamming itself between the beast's ribs, blade peeking out from the flesh of her shoulder on the other side. The beast kicks, spinning and lashing out with a rear hoof, catching Grimora in the side and sending the horse and rider back, separating them as they hit the ground. Grimorra fading into seething ash. Lydia turns, skull moving to inspect the scythe lodged into her chest.

Will on the other hand whistles in sheer amazement, not for Rai's accomplishment, but rather that the Etivian was still alive with a massive blade puncturing clean through all the vital organs. Seems it'd take more than that to bring her down. For now he'd have to work to protect Rai again as the monster came barreling back at Rai.

Will has to sprint to another section of the wall after finding himself too far away to launch many more spears and the fact that the area he was standing in had apparently run out of water in the air. He had to construct another wall, thinner than the last few between the two, forcing the Etivian to back off and allow Rai to get up.

Lydia took the time to attempt to remove the blade from between her ribs but to no avail as the horseman mounted again. Meanwhile Will was creating floating daggers everywhere throughout their confined area. An idea lit inside Rai's head as she threw her leg over the horse's back. If she couldn't get her scythe back, she'd just use the spears Will so conveniently laid out for her. She dug in her heels, urging him straight into a barreling gallop around the recovering beast, straight to one of the spears, catching it in her clawed hand.

Here came Lydia, lunging in, moving to attempt to knock the rider off the horse, but she laid back, flat against Grimorra's hips, barely missing the claws slashing at her face. Rai pulls herself back upright, yanking Grimorra's head around with the reins causing him to run sharply and run head on into the Etivian.

Taking her right to the face would never work, Lydia's horns were too large but she seemed to be vulnerable across her back and ribs. Once she got around the horns she was safe, she'd just have to taunt and tease to get her angled just right to strike.

Will caught on to Rai's plan and he had to admit, he hated the idea of having to risk a close quarters fight with her, but he assumed he would have to stay back and keep feeding Rai weapons to use. He began working on elongating the spears he already had out to give Rai more space between the business end and herself.

And here the two were charging head on into each other, Grimmorah's hooves tearing the earth beneath him as he squeals. At the last possible moment, Rai jerks the reins to the side, Grimmorah sidestepped and narrowly missed the horns, running right past the side of the monster as Rai slams a spear down into the upper part of her ribcage.

Lydia sidesteps, attempting to swing her crown of horns back into Rai but she was already gone, the pair had barreled past them, picking up the next spear. It was noticeably longer, heavier and sharper. She heard heavy steps blaring behind her as she was now being chased. She urges him on faster, glancing over her shoulder, listening and waiting. The second she heard one footstep sway slightly to the left, she pulls Grimorrah around to the left, pulling past her again and jamming yet another spear into her right side.

Lydia finally collapses, claws digging in the dirt in attempt to get back up. It was in vain, she was done, blood pooling around her. Rai dismounts and slowly approaches to be sure she'd stay down.

She pitied the creature, she didn't ask for this, nor did she deserve it. Even the right to a swift and painless death was stripped from her. Rai grips her scythe,pulling hard, finally dislodging it, causing even more bleeding as the dying beast gasps, air escaping the wounds that punctured her lungs around the spears.

It was over in one sweeping slash.


	37. Pizza's Good for the Soul

Rai sits at the kitchen table drinking her coffee, flipping through more of the books Deimos had given her. Throughout the nights she'd finished her share of the recordings and everyone else had finished there. She found solace knowing Calypso finally had help.

Will huffs around the corner carrying a bag with him, not seeming to be in much of a mood for anything.

"Heading to meet Isroh?" She asks blankly, sipping her coffee.

"Uh." Will was caught off guard, not really knowing she knew about that.

"Be gentle with him. He really likes you." Rai's false amber eyes cut up to Will.

Will seemed a bit put off by that, feeling a bit of heat rise to his cheeks. He honestly just thought Isroh was after sex and that was definitely not going to happen.

"And you know that… how?" Will huffs.

"I just know Isroh. I'm not telling you what to do, I'm just telling you he's not the typical demon of his kind."

That half-amazonian was at a loss, he was fully expecting to have to shut Isroh down but he guessed that wouldn't be the case any more if he truly was as Rai claimed. He trusted Rai's judgement and if she said he was safe, he had no choice but to believe her.

He lets out a heavy breath before heading out the door. Leaving Rai to her coffee.

XXXX

Will had just gotten to the rink finding Isroh waiting by the door, sipping on a fresh cup of starbucks coffee.

"Hey babe." The demons preens, bright smile illuminating in face. He looked so much different, Will notices. The demon's horns, claws and tail were hidden and his lavender eyes were exchanged for baby blue. His markings just looked like tattoos on full display down his arms. He looked so human he'd never suspect he was a blood drinking demon if he hadn't known any better. Being called 'babe' on the first date made Will internally cringe, but other than that, so far so good.

They skated for a good while, about two and a half hours, once the initial nerves worse of Will actually had began to enjoy himself. Isroh had attempted a leap but landed flat on his ass which left the pair laughing.

"Heh, You wanna go get food? Ice skatings fun and all but pizza's calling my name right now." Isroh laughs, standing and stretching.

Will cocks an eyebrow. "I thought Wendigos only drank blood."

"Blood is the only thing that's actually necessary to continue living. I need pizza just cause it's kick ass and is good for the soul." He grins giving a rather corny 'thumbs up' making Will just laugh.

"Alright pizza it is then." Will smirks, deciding to agree that pizza was good for the soul.

XXX

The restaurant was rather dark as most fine italian places were, just bright enough to see the table. The string lights added for a nice touch, looking like stars in Isroh's opinion. It wasn't very busy so the pair had a nice back booth by themselves, the polished dark wood of the table glimmering against the feint light.

"So… How's your mom?" Isroh asks, just wanting to keep conversation going. Although his hopes were crushed as Will seemed to almost choke on his pizza.

"Don't know. Don't talk to the bitch much." Will rolls his eyes at the mere thought of Diana. The demon was almost shocked, that was Wonder Woman he was talking about. She was the perfect woman in everyone's mind, how could her own son hate her?

"Jeeze, never met anyone who hated her like that. Any reason?" Isroh sheepishly asks, treading lightly as not to enrage Will.

"She's not a very good mother honestly. She just never really cared." The blonde man shrugs, fingers tapping on the table absently.

"Oh I'm sure she cared. Who could not?"

"No. She was never there. Ever. I raised myself." Will blinks.

"Oh look. They have ice cream." Isroh abruptly changes the subject, just wanting to keep the peace. "You like Ice cream right?"

"Yeah, I guess. Who doesn't like ice cream?" Will shrugs. After that there was a small moment of awkward silence. Isroh was left trying to think of something to keep going with.

"So. How come you're usually all by yourself. I'd think you'd want to hang out with Rai all the time. You basically got put with a group of friends after all." He asks out of genuine curiosity. He'd only met Rai off the new group of heros but from what she'd told them they seemed nice enough to be friend-worthy.

"I'm just an introvert I guess." Will deflects, chewing his lip nervously.

"Well you do know introverts don't make friends, right?" Isroh laughs causing Will to lift an eyebrow. "They just get adopted by extroverts who found them, liked them and decided to keep them."

Will burst out laughing glancing back to the demon. "Is that what's happening right now?"

"Fuck yeah it is!" Isroh laughs.


	38. Heart of Stone

Meanwhile Rai was flipping through a book on her couch, bare feet kicked back on the arm of her couch and a cup of coffee in the other hand. She was dressed casually white tee shirt and simple shorts, although she was undisguised. Her pale skin flourished with the deadly markings of a beast, horns and smokey hair flickering like a dying flame. Her thoughts wandering freely, Mostly on the subject of Paradise Lost and why God would put the forbidden fruit right in the middle of the garden if they weren't supposed to eat it. Although the depiction of Satan, she did have to admit, was pretty spot on.

She was about to turn a page before the doorbell rang, pulling her attention away and forcing her to disguise herself as human as quickly as she could. "It's open."

Much to her surprise a very flustered Jason stumbles in. "Rai you have to see this!" He barks, holding an Ipad.

"Whoa, slow down." She sets down her book and coffee scooting over on the couch to make room for him.

"Remember that thing that attacked us on that mission?"

"Still on about that?"

"Thing scared the ever loving fuck out of me. Anyway, I think it showed up again on one of my security cameras at a Queen industry's warehouse." Jason hit the play button on the ipad, leaning over to Rai but found nothing but static and Rai just raising an eyebrow at him as he slowly remembered what happened with demons and technology. He sets the device further away and props it up on the coffee table, pressing play again.

A man walks up and down the aisles, must have been a security guard. He makes two passes before something drops from the rafters, clattering to the floor. The guard comes to inspect, picking up what looked to be a crowbar. In an instant a beastly form was on him from the ceiling, forcing him to the floor with a savage screech. Claws and teeth ripped into the man's flesh, spilling blood across the cement floor. It looked like a man but had the ferocity of some kind of animal, claws shining like some kind of metal as his jaw unhinges fitting the majority of his victim's head in his mouth.

The monster threw the lifeless corpse to the ground, long fingers wrapping around his crowbar as he glances around, finding the camera. His eyes were fully dark with just a small pinhole of light showing the camera had his full attention. He steps forward, hunched in a manner the stereotypic werewolf might walk in, but he still looked eerily human. Claws flashed across the camera before just static.

"Okay then." hums, only slightly disturbed.

"They found him in the rafters. Stripped down to mostly bones, like he'd been eaten."

"Didn't the assassin we picked up on that first mission mention this thing with you guys?" Rai recalls, struggling to remember much other than he patience being tried that day to the point of mild irritation.

"Right, he called him Sherapnel, I think…" Jason struggled to remember, rubbing his temples, exhaustion from pure lack of sleep. "If this becomes commonplace, we've got our work cut out for us."

"We have to kill it." Rai picks up Paradise Lost again.

"Eric said you can't."

"There's a way to kill everything." Rai yawns, honestly not seeing this new monster as much of a threat.

"Rai. He fucked you up in one hit." Jason huffs in mild irritation. "And besides, getting into that warehouse isn't easy in the least. Getting into my house is easier than getting into that thing."

"Does the League know about this?"

"Not that I know of."

"Deimos?"

"No. Although he'd probably be a good person to let know. He's a smart guy, maybe he knows something?" Jason suggests.

"Yeah that's probably the right idea." Rai stands, Letting her glamour fall around her.

"By the way. Where's Will?"

"Elsewhere. With a friend of mine. Take me where this whole event happened. If it's a demon he'd have left bits of energy behind. Or maybe I can track him." Rai offers.

"Whoa- I'm not picking a fight with this thing with only two of us. We barely got out alive last time."

Rai sets her coffee mug in the sink as her scythes materialize at her waist. "I'm not saying we pick a fight. I'm saying he probably left a blood trail we could follow and see where he's coming from." She opens her front door, summoning Grimorah in the street. He came squealing from the rift with the fury for a fight but found himself taken by the reigns and mounted as the horseman extended a hand to the archer. "Come. The longer we wait the harder he'll be to track down."

Jason still felt uneasy but he had no choice but to trust Rai, he took her hand, hauling himself onto the back of the beast who irritably sidestepped. Grimorah's head swivels to attempt to take a bite at the new man on his back but a harsh tug at his reigns forces him back into submission and urges him on. The archer made the mistake of looking down and immediately wraps his arms around the rider's waist for fear of taking a nose dive into the concrete that seemed to be moving beneath them as the beast gallops. He'd been on horses before but never on the back seat, none this large and none that could kill him with a glare. Too late to get off now.

"We almost there yet?" Jason asks, just trying to keep up the brave face.

"Yeah." She assures, pulling the monster horse into a harsh stop, Grimorrah descending into shadows and out of their plane of existence and back into the rift. Rai landing on the ground with well practiced grace and Jason found himself in the dirt after having no idea that was how Rai dismounts her horse.

"A little warning please?"

"Sorry." Rai guiltily hums, helping him out of the dirt before ducking under the police tape and heading inside. "You said the victim was crammed into the rafters. Rai asks, eyes tracing from the trails of blood.

"Yeah. Completely dismembered too." Jason shudders. Right now his warehouse looked like a slaughterhouse. The open building was dark with shelves of products meant to be shipped out tomorrow, the ceilings were tall with many iron cross beams holding up both the roof and the large lights and fans. Jason couldn't help but notice the drag marks across the ground, blood smeared as if someone was pulled across the floor before they abruptly disappeared.

"Must have gone into the rafters here." The archer mentions, looking to the rafters but finding he couldn't see much up there. Rai on the other hand found a cross section of the shelf as a nice improvised ladder, hauling herself onto the top shelf and finding herself a few feet out of reach of the first crossbeam. She jumps,pulling herself up and taking a look around.

"Damn, you weren't wrong. Blood everywhere up here."

Rai took notice of the splattering speckling the beams as she hops onto an adjacent one to try and assess where things went from the initial attack.

"It was even more of a mess before police got here this morning. They cleaned up a bit but aside from removing the body they didn't do much up there." Jason explains, finding one of the lifts the workers used to access the top shelves and using it to get as close to the rafters as he could before jumping up onto it himself. "He was found slumped against that support." Jason nods over to a nearby metal post that was particularly peppered with crimson.

Rai wasn't paying much mind to that, she was looking for something else. Whenever a demon left the rift or entered it left behind some residual energy. A demon of the calibur required to do something as heinous as this would have left massive amounts of energy. "He didn't come in through the rift. He had to have gotten in somewhere."

"We've checked all the cameras by any door or window and the floor has motion detectors. I have absolutely no idea how it managed to get past those." The archer explains, looking to the areas where his cameras were set.

"He did drop his crowbar from the rafters. It's easy to assume he never touched the floor until the attack and then dragged him back up here. So how he got in has to be up here. Got any cameras up here?" Rai asks, moving into the exact place she suspected Sherapnel might have been when he dropped the crowbar and looking around of any obvious point of entry.

"No, we don't really expect thieves to have the balance to get on these rafters and there's no way in up here."

Rai was silent before realizing there was some bloodstains that didn't match. They were uneven and trailing away from where the body had been found. Like it was dripping off something rather than follows finding them getting further apart and more scarce. She kept following until the trail disappeared and she was on the other half of the warehouse. Jason eventually caught on following behind her, taking care not to stumble from the narrow beam. Rai sat silently for a minute before her ears caught the sound of air blowing.

"The air vent." Jason groans looking to the adjacent wall, finding the grate over it dented and unscrewed but left covering the vent.

"How did he fit in there?" Rai wonders out loud in pure amazement. That airvent was so tiny she doubted she could fit in it and that beast was much larger than she was. Jason behind removing the grate. Just as it was uncovered the archer jumps out of his skin as he was met with a severed hand, stripped of most it's flesh but was still recognizable as such. He had to stop for a moment, settling on the rafter and not looking at it for a minute.

"Well that's gross." Rai huffs finding the temptation to follow this trail a bit further to see if there was anything left on the roof. "How do we get onto the roof?"

"There's no door. But there is buildings nearby. Jumping to it's easy. Why the hell didn't I think about the air vent?" Jason laments, making his way back to the lift.

"Probably because the entrance is so small. I wouldn't think of it either. I'm still sceptical as to how he fit anyway." Rai hops down into the lift with Jason, leaning on the railing for a minute."Scary to think that he was able to do all this in under an hour."

"Half." Jason corrects.

"Even worse." She adds, stepping off the lowered platform.

They soon found themselves on the roof of the Queen industries warehouse. Wind caught Jason's hair and blew it in his face so bad he had to pull it back with the band he carried around his wrist. Meanwhile Rai was inspecting the grate on the outer opening of the ventilation system. "He definitely came in through here. Another broken cover."

"So. New information: This guy can rip a man to pieces in half an hour and squeeze himself into… that." Jason motions toward the broken vent. "I was hoping we'd get more than this."

"At the least we do have a pattern of attack."

"What do you mean?" Jason was fully confused. He sits himself down, taking a break.

"When he attacked me he jumped from from a higher place just like he did that security guard. Both attacks were from behind and aimed at center mass. He never gave either of us the chance to fight back. Complete ambush. He didn't move to attack, he brought his target to him by dropping the crowbar. Whatever we're dealing with is sentient, intelligent even if he set up that kind of trap."

Jason sat processing all this for a minute. "But we don't have any information on how to stop it."

"But at least we have a pattern. So now we won't be completely blindsided at least." For once Rai was being the optimist of the pair, which surprised her a bit. She was a demon, pessimism and general negativity was in her nature. That was when she took a slightly closer look at Jason. She felt a feint wavelength coming off him beneath the callus he'd put on to hide it. Fear.

"I'm scared of him too if it makes you feel any better. But being scared won't get rid of him. It'll just throw you off and make you a bigger target." She reassures. It was now she remembered she was among humans. Human emotions like fear didn't affect her very much anymore, but she remembered a time when they did. She often forgot that her team was comprised of mortals, not gods. She still saw her teammates being as strong as she was, sometimes she even thought Jason was stronger than she was for keeping this up with no special powers at all.

"Right. I just feel like we're overlooking it. I get the feeling this is about to snowball." Jason huffs. "I'm scared one body will become many."

"You may be right is the worst part. I think we should tell the league."


	39. Church Nails

It was another day in the base, Deimos and Calypso working on getting Calypso's magic to a state where it was decently under control as today was the last day she had to impress Batman to stay. Will of course was leaned over his coffee meanwhile Jason and Rai silently shared the concerns leftover from last night. The league had to be told, but when? Would they even be concerned? They had masked madmen running amok to deal with, she was skeptical they would stop things down to look for a serial canibal.

Mid thought an alarm jolted everyone out of their skin, namely Calypso who found herself clung to Deimos. The screen flickers to batman who seemed rather displeased, but not that his irritation was directed at any one person in particular.

"Got a problem, or just like blaring that loud ass speaker?" Will growls, obviously still grouchy from his lack of coffee. Meanwhile Will's phone buzzes in his back pocket as he shifts to check it and feintly smiles.

"Yes we have a problem. More creatures are scattered about Metropolis, again. The league's too short handed and the other teams are dealing with Kroloteans. Take care of it." He gruffs, signing off abruptly.

"At least it's close." Rai hums, heading for the door in a rushed they were handling more of those monsters, they had to get out there and do some damage control.

"Rai, we do NOT split up. Buddy system so we don't have what happened last time." Jason reiterates.

Rai was about to refute, but began thinking, she could take a hit from the beast Jason feared so much, but had he jumped on Jason of even Calypso they'd have been killed instantly. "Agreed."

Rai reaches into the pocket of her flowing cloths finding Grimora's figurine as she steps into the street.

"Do we know where we're headed?" Deimos asks just as a scream rips from a nearby street.

"There I'm assuming." The grouchy amazonian huffs. "Hey, Where's the twerp?" He then asks as he noticed they were missing a particular white haired short stack.

The half dragon looks around before noticing Calypso had just vanished.

"Shit."

XXX

Calypso had made a break toward the sound of screaming, recognizing it. It called her near as if she was unable not to answer all of a sudden. The fawn was drawn to the sound of distress so strongly she felt she might physically hurt if she didn't come. Her bare feet hit the pavement silently yet so swiftly no one noticed she was gone.

She stops for a second, ears rotating to listen and then taking off again in the direction of panic. Calypse neared her target as she reaches back for her bow, finding an arrow as she leaps up onto a stalled car. She was met with two mangles, banging at the car in attempt to get in. She launches an arrow into the side of one's skull, hopping down and slamming her horns into the side of the other hard enough to knock it aside, redirecting it's attention from the car to her. The beast roars at her but seemed hesitant to attack. It was then Calypso glances back, seeing what called her in the first place. Leaned against the steering wheel was a young woman, her face bloodied, but covered by her sandy hair and the airbag, but strapped in the back seat where three children screaming in terror, trying to wake the woman.

By now the monster had barreled forward in attempt to leap on Calypso but she was far too quick, sidestepping and slamming the wood of her bow into the side of it's back and cracking her heel onto the back of it's head as it fell to the floor. The threat had been neutralized for now, as Calypso took the time to pull the dented door off the car. The woman slumps over onto the little fawn as she worked to move her hair from her face. Calypso could hear her heartbeat, so she wasn't dead, but she needed help. She unbuckled the seatbelt gently attempting to lay the woman down as the children pushed their way out of the car.

"She's going to be okay. Stay by me." Calypso huffs, trying to keep the youngest of the three from running off. The oldest boy crouches, fear reflecting in his eyes as tears stream down his face. She almost swore she could see his future and without his mother it looked bleak.

"It's going to be alright, here." She carefully pulls the boy into her in a loving embrace. As if in an instant his pounding heart slows into a calmer lul as he hugged her back. Warmth enveloping him as the tears dried.

"What's your name?" She asks, trying to keep everything calm.

"Robert." He mumbles as Calypso gently releases him and looks into his eyes.

" Alright Robert. I need you to help me take care of your brother and sister. I have some friends that can help your mom. I need you to keep your brother and sister by me and quiet. Can you do that?" She asks, her voice just above a whisper as not to attract any more mangles.

"Yes'm." He nods, taking both smaller children by the hand as they attempted to wander off yet again and Calypso works to get the woman leaned against her in a way that would make her easier to carry. It took a bit of balancing and adjusting but eventually Calypso realized this was about as easy as carrying dead weight was going to get and she was just going to have to take it slow. She slowly but surely carried the woman along, meanwhile keeping an eye on Robert and his siblings in attempt to not lose one and have to go on a wild goose chase, but they were making progress.

"You're a very brave little boy, Robert. We'll get you home soon." This felt familiar. As if she'd been here before, done this before. It felt right and impossible to resist but odd that she was there. Strange that she was a real, tangible person in this boys eyes and that he never questioned her existence as she half expected him to.

XXX

Meanwhile Deimos was slightly irritated. The second he turns around and she runs off? And he couldn't even call her for risk of attracting the mangles to them. At least the rest of the team hadn't run off yet and was staying at least somewhat tightly congregated, close enough to be able to respond to an ambush. He was weary, aware that at any moment one of those horrible monstrosities could leap from nowhere.

"Shit, where could she have gone?" Jason sighs, beginning to worry for the fawn's safety.

"No idea, how she was just gone so fast I don't know either." Deimos groans.

"Deimos." A voice quietly calls from a nearby intersection, voice barely raising from usual speaking tone.

Much to Deimos's surprise was the fawn he was searching for, covered in blood and carrying a woman and was accompanied by three children.

"Calypso, Jesus what happened?" Deimos asks, rushing to join Calypso and relieve her of the dead weight she was bearing.

Rai meanwhile stiffened, jaw visibly clenching as she turned to face a different direction, avoiding keeping the injured woman or her children within her field of vision. Jason found it strange before remembering how she'd explained how such things strained her morality. The mere smell of blood excited her instinct, a soul ripe for the taking, and three of the purest specimens so greatly presented to the devil of wrath. It glowed in her vision, calling her to come as she forced herself away.

"Blood's not mine. The mangles made her wreck her car. Please fix her." Calypso pants, exhausted from hauling the lady so far.

Deimos laid the mother on the ground, examining her injuries. She had a nasty gash across her face and her collar bone was definitely broken from the seat belt. Although this wasn't want concerned him the most.

"Her brain's swollen inside her head. I don't know if I can fix this." Deimos internally panics.

"Please try. They need her." Calypso begs. "She can't go yet, She's not ready!" By this point shimmering tears streamed down the fawn's face. She needed to save this woman. Why? She had no idea, but she felt like she just had to.

Calypso's words reverberated in his head, he himself had stated this before. A hole in his heart throbbed, aching of wounds that never healed. He looked to the children who seemed to be waiting for him to answer.

 _He was silent, examining the police station walls, uncomfortable with how bright and open it was. He shifts in the hard chair as a officer laid a blanket around his shoulders. Deimos remained silent as a female officer wiped the blood and rain from his face. The office was alive with people attempting to decode the entire situation, what officers weren't sent to the violent scene were left here to figure out what to do with a half-dragon child. Deimos heard no noise though, only the horrible screech he heard before he was told to run to the nearest city. Thunder clapped outside the building enough to bring him back to some kind of reality as the woman worked to maneuver him into some dry clothes. The station didn't have any children's clothes so he was wearing an oversized shirt one of the officer's kept in his locker._

' _It's going to be okay. We're sending you to a family for the night until we can find your mother.' The woman assures, taking his tiny hand. Deimos was, however, silent. Dragon children didn't vocalize much, and they rarely spoke._

" _We have a large creature. Still alive, but barely." One of the officers announces from his desk, catching Deimos's attention._

" _She can't go yet."_

"Deimos?" Calypso calls, snapping Deimos out of his sudden daze. The dragon bites his lip before laying his hands across the woman's bruised cheekbones. Feint light glimmered from his hands but in Deimos's mind he was working to figure out what needed to be fixed. This was possibly one of the worst injuries he'd ever healed, but he had to try. He'd have wished someone could do that for him when he was a child, so he'd at least try to save her. Calypso was right, they needed her so they wouldn't end up like him.

Much to Deimos's surprise a light groan came from the body he was healing, she stirred. It was slight, but any movement was progress in his book. He move one hand down to rest on her collar to try to fix that while he was at it to relieve some of the pain for when she woke up. Once again she stirs, eyes weakly fluttering open in a daze but at least she was conscious.

"Hey, you awake yet?" Calypso asks, keeping her voice down.

"She's awake, Brain's still got to be pretty scrambled." Deimos assures. He could feel his hands beginning to heat up from the flow of magic. He'd have to stop soon, but he at least wanted to fix the important things. He kept working on her, neurons in the woman's brain reconnecting by the second but his hands began to burn. She suddenly gasps awake sitting straight up just as Deimos's hands simmered to the point of pain.

"Hey, you're awake!" Calypso smiles happily, sitting criss-crossed on the ground to try to keep her from panicking. She was looking for her kids but upon seeing them she calmed, they rush to her, hugging her.

"Alright, I need you to go to the police station. Do you feel like you can walk?" Deimos asks, attempting to help her up. They needed to get moving quickly and he hadn't completely healed her so she still needed medical attention.

"I feel like I can, Thank you." She gasps for breath, finding it hard to breathe around her still broken collar bone. The family scuttles away to the police station quietly, Calypso moving to attempt to follow but Deimos stopped her.

"Are you nuts?" He asks in an odd whispering-yet-yelling tone.

"What else did you want me to do? If I hadn't come she'd have been eaten."

"You could have been eaten." Jason groans.

"But I wasn't."

"She wasn't." Rai shrugs, finding her argument valid. "We signed up to be heroes did we not? The could have been is assumed to be accepted."

"I- She- ugh. Alright, arguing isn't getting us anywhere, Calypso stay by us. Sound good?" Deimos asks.

"Can't say I'll definitely do it, but sounds like a good plan." Calypso hums just as a loud screech comes from down the road, smoke rising from a nearby steeple, A large object suddenly hurdled through the air, casting a shadow on the ground and shimmering in the morning sun as the team ducks to either side of the road to avoid it. It clatters to the ground in a violent roar, pieces of cement and asphalt spray behind it but luckily avoid everyone.

"What the actual hell?" Will ponders.

"Is that a giant bell?" Deimos asks facetiously. The bronze bell laid out in the sun. The team didn't have much time to ponder as wooden splinters now got sent into the air, almost seeming to be aimed at the team.

"It's the church." Deimos points out as the smoke grew thicker around the white steeple, more splinters and now nails hailing down as they duck for cover.

"Rai, go in and see if you can clear it." Deimos orders, in his mind Rai was invincible, nothing could actually kill her, right?

"Can't do it. Church. I'll turn to ash as soon as I step past the door." Rai glances to the sky. "Those are church nails. I take one of those to the vitals, I'm dead."

"Wait. Nails?" Will asks as he forms his shield, his craftsmanship hissing as the air is pushed out.

"Yes. Metals absorb a lot of astral energy, and churches, synagogues, mosques. All full of it. Metal that's taken in a bunch of energy like that just deteriorates what makes me… me. My body would be mostly unharmed but would be uninhabitable." Rai explains as the others attempt to figure out how to proceed.

"Wait. So…." Jason starts.

"Unless it pertains to this situation, I suggest you save it." Rai interrupts.

"Will?" Deimos looks to the amazonian who now had a fully formed sword and shield.

"Jason come with me." Will orders, pulling the archer closer as his lifts his shield over their head. The storm of debris hailed down into the shield, which roared in despair, cracking with each heavy hit of metal or wood. Jason, meanwhile, pulls an arrow back on his bow, just waiting to get inside to deal with whatever may await them.


	40. Blood in the Pulpit

Inside was oddly quiet but there was some rustling of claws against wood above them. The archer's heart jumps in his throat and he quickly aims upwards, but it was just mangles who seemed to want nothing to do with the pair, not even bothering to descend. An unsettling snarl erupts from the front as a pew was sent flying in their direction by a hulking grey form, Will rears back, slamming a fist into it, reducing it to splinters as Jason steps forward to fire arrow which just bounce off.

It was massive but looked mostly humanoid, maw held open by the bulk of many long and needle-like teeth that didn't fit in it's mouth to the point it's lips had been cut away. It's skin was a sickly grey, like a corpse and blackened veins webbed through his face, shoulders and back. If Jason had to be honest it looked like a giant mangle, except this one had six empty black eyes on the side of it's angular and wolfish head. It looks to the ceiling, specifically the rafters, yanking down a mangle which squealed in his hand as the monster's teeth made short work of it.

Outside the hail of debris stopped, Deimos and Calypso looking to each other in agreement to head inside. They lurch forward, about to regroup with Will and Jason but are cut short by a mangle, lunging to them. Rai steps in, sythe swinging forward and catching it in the rib, tossing it to the side. The street was suddenly filled with them, screeching and barreling to the group.

"Go on. I'll make myself useful out here." Rai orders just as more beasts attempted to swarm the demon.

Deimos reluctantly nods but finds Calypso already heading toward the church. Deimos sighs realizing Rai would be fine by herself and he was needed inside. Deimos heads in the door only stop short as the massive beast comes barreling toward him. Deimos barely had time to leap out of his path but was grabbed by a surprisingly human-like hand.

"Shit- Guys!?" He asks, wings flitting in attempt to right himself and stay away from the teeth he was being pulled into. Will jumps ahead, sword in hand, going straight for it's side. The blade cut deep, but not deep enough as it turns, throwing Deimos into Will hard enough to knock them both back against the benches, both boys left groaning in pain.

Calypso draws her bow but quickly realizes that would be ineffective as Jason's arrows just do nothing more than to serve as a mildly annoying distraction. Her ears twitch as her mind scattered about as to what to do. He friends needed her, Jason couldn't do too much other than keep it's attentions but he couldn't keep repositioning like that as he was running out of space to go before this thing got closer. She'd have to use her magic. She sucks in a deep breath, sparks flaring bright white from her antlers, mirror like orbs forming and floating around her. She manifested four before a sharp yelp caught her attention again.

Jason had been grabbed, his leg caught in the beast's grasp as he was dangled upside down in front of its face. It's jaw unhinged just as he was about to take a bite.

"Hey! Ugly!" She yelps, catching it's attention. She steps forward, a hand gesturing forward and an orb is sent crashing into its shoulder. The noise was deafening and sharp, but the heat from the orb's explosion scorched it's skin, as it drops Jason to the ground to nurse it's bloody wounds, squealing in pain as the fawn steps forward again, second orb flying into the creature's face causing yet another painful scream.

Jason shambles to his feet, wincing as his weight shifted to his now free leg. His shock for Calypso's newfound abilities was momentarily masked by his concern for his two downed allies. He moves toward them just as Deimos begin's to attempt getting up, but Will was down for the count.

"Deimos, have anything useful for this thing?" Jason asks, hoping Deimos could just magic up some solution.

"Yeah, here." Deimos was struggling, his mind clouded into a haze to the point casting spells was going to be difficult.  
"Knock an arrow. This spell's useless until it can stick to a projectile." Deimos's voice was slowly wavering as his attention was drawn to Calypso who'd landed another orb in the creature's face as it backed away from her. The fawn looked exhausted but she was holding together best she could to keep fighting. Deimos's hand moves to the side, violet smoke smouldering up then igniting into flames. "Run the arrow through."

Without hesitation Jason runs the arrow through the flames, igniting and arrow then drawing back just as Calypso launched her final attack. The mirror ball smashing into it's face, leaving scorch marks and a very exhausted Calypso. Her ears drooped as sweat glazed her skin. The monster was coming for her after recovering but she couldn't move. She felt so drained that she struggled to stand. Jason lets the arrow fly, staking itself into it's shoulder with the fury of zeus's wicked creature bellowed, thrown off track, confused as to where to put it's attention, to the downed fawn or to the archer attacking him. It decided far too late, taking another magic-infused arrow to the face and immediately going silent, falling to the side and laying out on the tile floor.

Will began to stir, holding his aching head. "What the actual fuck is that thing?"

"No. Idea." Jason huffs.


	41. One of Us

Rai meanwhile was outside fighting off a massive hoard of mangles that descended upon her. Seemed like they thought they saw a singled out target open to attack. The bodies began to stack up as scythes whirled in a wicked dance of death. Each blade, once passed through a mangle almost instantly moving to end another with no delay. Just when she thought she was done something had to go awry.

She heard the wind bristling past something behind her, the slightest brush of claws as they left brick and a light clattering of dense metal. The devil turns just in time to catch the clawed monster from the warehouse leaping at her from the roof of a nearby building. Scythes rotated quickly,catching him in the side as the beast deflects, the sound mirroring that of a sword hitting a iron post. The predator rights himself, landing on his feet, claws scraping into the concrete as he skids to a stop about five feet from the devil. Rai turns, readying her scythes for a fight, one forward to guard, one back and poised to strike.

"Sherapnel." Rai growls, rather displeased to meet yet again.

"I see you've gotten faster." The mysterious creature laughs, his voice like gravel in a metal garbage can yet slightly duo toned. "No worries. Not here to kill you. Here to talk." Sherapnel stands upright, clawed fingers running through his hair to fix it back into a somewhat orderly state, his cheekbones filling out again and he began to look more like a man than a beast. His feral mask shedding off as the bones in his face seemed to shift beneath the skin. His eye sockets widened, his lips sealing together and taking a less dog-like appearance and his teeth even went from sharp to flat.

Rai thought for a minute, suddenly it clicked. "So. This is what the mangles were for." Why else would anyone go through the trouble of unleashing a hoard of monsters on just one city.

"How else was I supposed to get you alone other than occupying your friends for a while?" Sherapnel shrugs, as if he were having a normal conversation with a friend.

"And the security guard?"

"Somehow, I knew that'd get your attention." The monster's head tilts as he grins ever so innocently. "Why do you follow those humans around like a lost puppy? You know they're scared of you."

Rai's face remained blank, although deep down anger bubbled up. What was he playing at? Trying to get her to defect? "I'm a pretty good person to be afraid of. They're obviously smarter than you are in that sense." The devil deadpans.

Sherapnel chokes down laughter, still trying to keep a somewhat human posture, even as he stood in a slightly slouched manner as he inched closer. "So. That doesn't bother you? It doesn't bother you that Batman's sitting on piles of anti-demon weapons specifically designed to kill you." He prodded further.

Rai steps back, her scythes raising again into a more defensive position. But no weapon could defend against his words. "They aren't for me if he has them." She huffs.

"Oh? How many other actual demons have you encountered here? Aside from the Etivian and Isroh?" Sherapnel reasons, a hand raising as if to make his point. "Your friends plans to strike you down at the slightest misstep. Look how quickly he was willing to throw out Calypso the second he didn't think she was useful?"

"How do yo-"

"We have everything. Here." Sherapnel reaches to his pocket, producing a tiny thumb drive and holding it out for Rai to take.

The devil hesitates, not wanting to take anything offered to her by someone who could kill just for her attention. But if Batman had plans to betray her, she reasoned, she'd want to know about it. She takes it slipping it into her corset to view later. "Why do you feel the need to help me? Wouldn't it be in your best interest for Batman to actually kill me? I'm the only one you can't eviscerate in one attack on the team."

"You're one of us, Rai. And we protect our own." Sherapnel steps closer, now that her guard was completely lowered.

"What are you?" She finally asks, no just out of curiosity, but in sheer awe. He definitely wasn't human, nor beast, nor demon, or anything she'd ever seen before.

"I'm like you." Sherapnel looks back toward the church behind Rai. "And you'll be just like me… Once you realize you aren't just some devil."

Sherapnel suddenly lurches forward, fist slamming hard into the center of Rai's chest. She had no time to react as her body was sent crashing through the wall of the church and into the pulpit. Dust flew from the crumbling brick as daylight cast upon the rest of the panics, she couldn't't be here! This was holy ground, she'd turn to dust!

She stands but suddenly stops, looking down to her own hands.

Nothing.

Nothing happened, she still existed. And of course the rest of the team was just as baffled as she was.

"Rai? Are you okay?" Jason asks worriedly, moving to examine her for injuries.

"I'm fine." Rai stammers, more in shock that she was just fine than anyone else. She'd seen other demons vaporized for merely walking onto the property of a church, yet here she was in front of the podium!

"What happened?" Deimos mumbles, admiring the size of the hole left in the wall.

"Nothing. Mangle got in a cheap shot is all." She deflects, mind cutting back to the thumb drive. How far could fear drive humans?

XXXX

Meanwhile Sherapnel sits upon a nearby rooftop, admiring the hole in the church and the baffled group of teenagers attempting to make sense of everything. Such chaos, such madness, but all falling into perfect order. Almost poetic.

His back pocket then began to vibrate as he rolls his eyes in slight annoyance. No one ever left him bask in his own insanity for more than five minutes. Sherapnel reaches for his phone holding it against his shoulder as he watched.

"Did you help her?"

Sherapnel smirks. "Yes. She'll soon know the truth. The Justice League is sinking." The monster smirks. "I still don't understand what you want done with the boy though."

"Come back. I'll explain. Well done, Sherapnel."

Picking up his crowbar, Sherapnel stands, taking one last look toward the group of teenagers as they left the scene. Enjoy the moments of victory while they last. Hopping off the roof, Sherapnel headed back home.


	42. Pillow Fort

"Alright, so metropolis is cleared and the League took over the clean up so… general consensus as to why the hell those mangles keep popping up?" Jason groans, plopping down on the couch with a can of soda.

"To wreak as much havoc as possible? Those things don't seem to bright. Seems like eating people is all they know." Will hums stirring his coffee with a spoon staring into it as his glasses fogged, just thinking. "Think someone's sending them?"

Calypso cringes, tugging a blanket off the couch and into the floor before tossing it over the coffee table and immidiately ducking into her blanket fort. "Can I have that pillow?" The fawn asks, poking her head out from beneath the blanket.

Deimos tilts his head before handing her the pillow. "Calypso, you're the only one who knows anything about these things. Can you give us anything to go off of?" He asks, just hoping to get anything he can from her.

"Only if I can stay in my fort." Calypso chirps, pulling the pillow inside and tugging the blanket back down. Will and Deimos just awkwardly stare at the pillow fort but decide they just have to accept it.

"Well okay, let's start from the beginning. Why did you leave us right off the bat?" The half-dragon asks, crossing his legs and reclining against the cushions.

"To go help the la-"

"Hold on, I'll rephrase. How did you know where to find her. No one else heard anything." Deimos interrupts, hoping to learn more about her.

"I don't know. I just knew I had to go. Didn't really know I was going until I was almost there and for some reason it was like if I turned tail and left… I'd be empty. With no purpose." The divine mage's ears twitch under the blankets, even she herself was still trying to make sense of it. "It felt right though. Familiar. As if I'd done it a thousand times, yet had no idea what I was doing. I that makes sense at all."

Deimos's eyes close, having picked up nothing from that.

"Instincts then?" Jason asks.

"I guess that's what we have to call it for now." The dragon child hums, supposing that was a better answer than none. But now for what he definitely wanted to know. "That thing in the church. What was that?"

"Don't know. Never seen a mangle that big before. Nor have I seen them eat each other." Calypso thought out loud in her blanket fort of happiness, escaping the world for just a moment but yet was forced back into the memories of that horrible place. "Usually they just stumble around, swing at whatever moves and that's about it. I think they're getting smarter. I've never seen any that had the sense to attack as a group."

"Just great." Will huffs in annoyance. As if killing those things wasn't already a nuisance, now they were going to think and be a nuisance as well.

"Doesn't matter how much they think, if we hit them hard enough they won't have time to." Jason chirps, just trying to lighten the mood.

"If they think too much we won't be able to hit them hard enough. Besides. If they get smart, getting rid of them won't be as easy as just killing them en masse like that." The half-amazon groans in retaliation, beginning to get frustrated with the whole situation. "Feels like we take one step forward then two steps back again."

"I wouldn't necessarily say that. Now we know the big bastards exist… and that they aren't easy to kill." Deimos shrugs, just trying to find something good about this whole shit show. Shifting he looks back to Will, who had switched from contacts to glasses and was hunched over his coffee mug. "Feeling any better?"

"Still sore. Fucker hit like a truck." Moving to pop his shoulder, Will had sunk back into his rather foul mood. "Rai, still certain these aren't demons?" The horseman next to him remained completely silent, just thinking to herself. She'd seen demons, but she was beginning to think this mangle problem might be worse. At least demons were often lone wolves, and very rarely in groups of three or four. A hoard like what they saw today was statistically impossible as that many never made it through the rift.

The rift wasa crawl space between hell and the mortal plane. It twisted and intertwined with the two geographies, overlapping and growing thin in some places, making passage for demons easier. Although even the narrowest of passageways where inhospitable to most species. Usually one step out of hell and into the rift without the assistance of a greater demon or a devil could result in instant death and the few that did make it were mortally wounded.

"No, not possible. Not only do demons rarely form massive groups like that, regular demons are at least intelligent enough to accomplish a goal collectively. In easier terms, if they were demons of the same group, the large one wouldn't have eaten the smaller ones. The smaller ones would have jumped on you as the large one caught up and killed you." If she were honest with herself, she was glad they weren't demons.

And at that moment, the door opening had interrupted all thought and conversation. The brooding bat himself had strolled in, staring down the group behind the mask as Jason and Deimos stiffen, Will didn't really seem to care much, and Rai was ever so stoic…. Meanwhile Calypso just hit in her blanket fort of confidence.

"Calypso." The batman calls, eyeing the pile of pillows and blankets suspiciously.

"Yes?" The fawn calls, but still doesn't come out.

"A word?"

"Yes yes, of course." Calypso pushes open the 'door' to her fort, inviting batman in as he just stares. After a second bruce sighs before looking to the group.

"Alone, please?" He reiterated as the group eventually gets up, Rai following behind slowly, staring back as they walked on. As usual his soul was difficult to read. Clouded by with blackness, yet glimmering light from the shadows. And stuttering away from everyone. She could read nothing from the situation and had to be content with patience as the door closed.

"What the hell is that all about?" Will asks, a little upset he'd been uprooted from his comfortable spot on the couch.

"Today is judgement day." Deimos groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And the one under scrutiny just invited batman into a pillow fort."

There was a second of silence before Jason just shook his head. "She's doomed." He confirms.

The group waited, Each taking a spot on the floor, trying to figure out what to do if Batman made Calypso leave. Where would they put her and how would she live out life? Normalcy wasn't an option due to the horns and her general lack of knowledge of the world. But about an hour and a half later batman once again opened the door, saying nothing to the group and left. Meanwhile Calypso peeks out from he blanket fort.

"Well Calypso, we really tried, we did, I-"

"He said I can stay!" Calypso interrupts, silencing Deimos mid sentence as his face lit up in joy.

"Ok, here's the important question… Did he get in the pillow fort?" Jason asks, imagining the back cowled man hunching up to fit inside.

"Yes. We had to squeeze to get him in, but he was in… mostly." Calypso laughs, laying on her belly, head resting on the back of her hands. "He's not much of a conversationalist really." She mutters.

"No, duh. What'd you talk about?" Deimos sits on the couch in front of her.

"He wanted to know about the lady again. He was confused about it too. But he was happy about the mangle. He even said he was willing to come over for tea and pizza."

Deimos was speechless. How had she managed to pull this off? He was certain batman was just looking for a way to dump her off. "Well congratulations then!"

"Can we order more pizza?" Calypso asks. Seemed like the perfect excuse for it.

"Ten steps ahead of ya, kid." The archer laughs.


End file.
